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In the latest evidence that indie games are often where you find the boldest creative choices, look no further than Unbeatable. The hand‑drawn rhythm adventure title — announced in 2020 and crowdfunded the following year — oozes style and attitude. For example, look no further than its tagline: "a game where music is illegal and you do crimes." (Nice.) Developer D‑Cell Games launched a new trailer and a much more robust demo on Thursday, letting you sample a slice of the full game.

One part of the "anime‑juiced" Unbeatable follows the protagonist, Beat, and her "band on the run." (Nice to see that a Wings reference can still fly in 2025.) The game's narrative‑driven segment includes dialogue around town with various people, baseball (played "the wrong way" with sledgehammers and katanas), graffiti tagging and bare‑knuckle brawls with the cops who enforce the draconian anti‑music laws. (Dicks!) And don't forget some alone time to "think and write new songs."

D-Cell

Another part of Unbeatable's gameplay involves rhythm mini‑games that only require two buttons: up and down. Although that mode is woven into the story, old‑school rhythm game fans can enjoy a separate arcade mode that stands as a "complete game experience," including challenges and modifiers. (PaRappa the Rapper fans, rejoice.)

There's no release date yet, but the trailer below shows that D‑Cell has put those five years of development time to good use. If it looks like your jam, you can take the demo for a spin on Steam and PS5. (The final version will also be available on Xbox.)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-rhythm-infused-adventure-unbeatable-has-a-new-demo-for-pc-and-ps5-185618354.html?src=rss

Opera has added its AI assistant Aria to the Opera Mini browser for AndroidUsers can access real-time information, summarize text, and generate images in the lightweight Android browserThe Opera Mini version of Aria is optimized for low data usage and older devices

Opera is giving a major AI upgrade to its Opera Mini mobile web browser. The company is embedding its Aria AI assistant into the Android version of Opera Mini, whose low-cost, data-saving approach to browsing is used by more than a hundred million people globally.Aria will aid Opera Mini users by answering questions, generating text or software code, creating images, summarizing webpages, and pulling real-time info from the internet. Aria relies on Composer, Opera’s own AI engine, which stitches together tools and models from both OpenAI and Google, including making images with Google’s Imagen 3 model."AI is rapidly becoming an integral part of the daily internet experience – bringing Aria to Opera Mini is a natural addition to our most-downloaded browser," Opera executive vice president Jørgen Arnesen explained in a statement. "With the addition of our built-in AI, Aria, we’re excited to explore how AI can further enhance the feature set our users rely on every day.”

Pianissimo Opera AI

Opera Mini is popular because it can provide a web browser that doesn't use too much bandwidth. AI assistants like ChatGPT or Google Gemini tend to rely on a significant amount of energy and computational power. In many parts of the world, AI features are only available to people with the latest flagship phones, massive storage, or expensive subscriptions.What Opera Mini is doing with Aria offers an alternative, one built to fit a browser already designed for places with unreliable connections, slow speeds, and high data costs. If you have an Android device, you can simply update the Opera Mini browser and start using Aria.The release sets an interesting precedent. As AI becomes a staple in digital tools, developers have to consider not only how to make AI smarter and more powerful but also more flexible and accessible to people in different circumstances. Opera Mini's addition of Aria could end up being the example developers refer to when creating an AI assistant that won't eat up all your storage space or data budget.Opera has teased that other new Mini features are in the pipeline, though it hasn’t said exactly what they will be. If the new features blend with the browser like Aria, it could end up as a semi-independent path toward AI adoption, one very different from its flashier cousins.

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Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro revives the removable battery for power in rugged environmentsDual programmable keys allow instant access to essential features and field appsBuilt tough with IP68, MIL-STD-810H and Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection

Samsung has officially introduced the Galaxy XCover7 Pro, a rugged smartphone that offers a rare return to basics with a standout feature missing from most modern devices – a 4,350mAh removable battery.Powering the new smartphone is the mid-range 4nm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD card up to 2TB.The XCover7 Pro features a 6.6-inch FHD+ TFT LCD with a 120Hz refresh rate, 20:9 aspect ratio, glove-friendly touch sensitivity, and Vision Booster for improved visibility. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, offering resistance to drops, scratches, and disinfectants like ethanol and chlorine-based solutions.

A rugged smartphone built for real-world demands

Designed for frontline professionals, the Galaxy XCover7 Pro is IP68-rated for water and dust resistance and MIL-STD-810H certified for environmental durability, a benchmark for top-tier rugged phones and rugged tablets.“At Samsung, we understand that frontline professionals need technology that adapts to their fast-paced and demanding work environments,” said Jerry Park, EVP and Head of Global Mobile B2B Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics.Although this device focuses on durability, it includes a 50MP wide main sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide lens on the rear. For selfies, there's a 13MP front camera with an f/2.2 aperture.The business smartphone supports both physical SIM and eSIM. Connectivity options include 5G Sub-6, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.4, and NFC. For navigation, the device supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS, though availability may vary by region.Weighing 240g, the XCover7 Pro includes a POGO pin interface for use with dedicated charging docks (sold separately), and two programmable hardware keys - the Top Key and XCover Key - which can be programmed to specific apps or features.“The Galaxy XCover7 Pro combines ruggedized durability, enterprise-grade security, seamless connectivity and intuitive AI-driven features to help businesses operate efficiently in harsh conditions while maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime,” Park addedThe device is priced at £559 in the UK and will be available starting April 2025. There's no word on US pricing at the moment.

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The moment when you think it's time to start charging your smartphone is probably as personal as your hairstyle. I doubt anyone fully agrees on when to plug back in, except when you're completely out of juice. While some might be fine with 50% in the middle of the day, others might panic, just a little, when they hit 38%. At least that's what a new study from Talker Research says.In a survey of 2000 people in the US, researchers found that 38% is when the concern creeps in, and the majority of smartphone owners start searching for a charging option.A third of the respondents wait until, for instance, their iPhone warns them the battery is running low (20% or less), and 13% are willing to wait until the power drops below 10%.I've seen people take far riskier approaches, with as little as 1% left on their phone, and, somehow, they seem unconcerned. Perhaps they always have an extra battery backup in their back pocket.The research, though, indicates there may be some generational differences in our battery approach. Gen Zers reach for a charging cable far sooner than their Millennial, Gen X, and Boomer counterparts, plugging in as soon as 44%.

When do you start panicking about a low phone battery life?April 18, 2025

In my own anecdotal survey on X, I found the majority start worrying about battery life when it reaches 20%. That's even more than those who seem concerned at 10%.This makes sense to me. 20% has long been my trigger, which means I plug and rarely see 10% or less. There is, by the way, a small contingent who charge up when the battery life hits 60%. They are, I bet, part of the "ABC" (Always Be Charging) crowd.I got a few comments on X telling me there was no need to "panic" and that they found that some phones, like the Samsung Galaxy series, had good enough battery life that they rarely worry.

What you can do

The thing is, you have far more control over the life and longevity of your smartphone battery than you might think.First of all, Android and iOS, along with hardware-based AI and machine learning, do their fair share to manage battery life, especially the longevity of the battery. That's why your battery doesn't always charge to 100%. The system has to manage the battery's health so that the 100% battery life you experience when you first buy the phone is not radically different from the 100% battery life you get six months later.Under Settings/Battery, you can see the health of your battery and the percentage it can actually charge to (95% capacity, 80% capacity, etc.)For day-to-day battery life, there are a handful of well-worn tips for both iOS and Android that can significantly extend your charge while having minimal impact on the phone's operation.So, instead of panicking about 38% battery life, you can take charge, and maybe show friends who let the battery life drop to 10% what to do so they can make it through the rest of the night without being tethered to a wall outlet.

iPhone battery tips

Dim your brightness (under Control Center)Turn on Auto Brightness (Under Settings/Accessibility)In WiFi settings, turn off cell serviceEnable Low Power Mode (Under Settings/Battery)Turn off background activity (Settings/General/Background App Refresh)Adjust mail fetch intervals (Settings/Accounts and Passwords/Fetch new data)Turn off location services on an app-by-app basis (Settings/Privacy/Location Services)Tamp down notifications (Settings/Notifications)

Android battery tips

Reduce screen brightness (swiped down from the top to access control)Adjust your screen timeout setting (usually under Settings/Display)Use Dark Mode (usually under Settings/Display)Turn off keyboard vibrations and sounds (Settings/sounds and vibration)Turn on Power Saving (Settings/Battery)Turn on Put unused apps to sleep (Settings/Battery/Background Usage Limits)Turn off cell service in WiFi situations (Settings/Connections)

There are more ways to manage battery life and, especially in Android phones, battery-saving features specific to each manufacturer. I suggest you dig into your settings to see what you can adjust.If all else fails, it's always a good idea to travel with a cable and charge adapter, and also a portable charger.ABC folks, A...B...C.

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This year marks the 125th anniversary of the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), and despite concerns over tariffs, there are still a lot of manufacturers here showing off new models including a handful of US and global debuts. So without further ado, here are some of the most intriguing cars on display at the 2025 NYIAS. If you are in the area and want to see some of these for yourself, the event is open to the public from April 18 to April 27 and held at the Javits Center. Tickets cost $22 per adult and $8 for children aged 3 to 12.

The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker

First up on the docket is Subaru, which is here today with an early look at its second-ever EV: the Trailseeker. Now I admit that the followup to the Solterra might not be the most exciting announcement, as this model will once again be based the e-TNGA platform, which is shared with Toyota's bZ4x. That said, while the Trailseeker doesn't have the most impressive range (around 260 miles), its updated styling, larger body and improved off-roading capabilities feel more suited to an outdoor lifestyle.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The 2026 Kia EV4

Kia has been on a roll when it comes to EVs thanks to existing cars like the EV6 and EV9. At the 2025 NYIAS, the company is looking to keep that momentum rolling with the US debut of the EV4, which incorporates many of the headline features from its previous battery-powered offerings, but with an even more affordable expected starting price of between $35,000 and $40,000. It also features Kia's improved i-PEDAL 3.0 regenerative braking tech which now works even in reverse.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Kia EV9 Nightfall edition

Speaking of the EV9, while there aren't a ton of updates for 2025, Kia did roll out a new Nightfall edition for its flagship electric SUV. It features blacked-out accents throughout the vehicle including dark wheels, trim and badging. That color scheme even continues inside the vehicle with exclusive all-black upholstery. And when you consider that this remains one of the most affordable three-row electric cars, I think this is a pretty nice way to freshen up the look of the EV9.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Genesis X Gran Equator concept

Billed as a luxury overlander, the Genesis X Gran Equator concept is easily one of the most striking cars at the 2025 New York Auto Show. It features an extremely long hood and LED light strips that wrap all the way around to the side of the vehicle along with matching tail lights in back. Inside, while it has fancy diamond-stitched upholstery, there are also dedicated holders for resuable waterbottles, which hint at its role as a potential camping vehicle. And while Genesis has not said what kind of powertrain it will have if the X Gran Equator reaches official production, the lack of a distinct grille up front means there's hope it will be an EV.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Lucid Gravity

While the Gravity was officially announced late last year, it's largely only been available for purchase by friends and family of the company up until now, which has made it a relatively rare site both at trade shows and on the road. But the at NYIAS, it was on display in all of its three-row electric glory. Not only is the Gravity the fastest charging EV outside of China capable of sucking down up to 400 kW, it also boasts a top range of up to 450 miles. Plus, thanks its ability to add 200 miles of range in less than 11 minutes, it pretty much upends the belief that EVs aren't good for longer road trips. And while it's a niche feature, Lucid even created a special cushion that goes in its frunk that instantly converts it into a cozy little love seat. It's the kind of thing that makes me wish drive-in movie theaters weren't so hard to find nowadays.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N TA spec

The TA in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N TA spec's name stands for time attack. And last year, it did just that when it set the record at Pike's Peak for the electric modified SUV/crossover class with a time of 9 minutes and 32 seconds. But what might be the most impressive thing about the car is that despite some obvious changes to its body (just look at the size of that rear wing), Hyundai says the TA was also built to showcase the strength of the regualar Ioniq 5 N's power electric system. So instead of swapping in some one-off motors, this car has the same basic setup as the standard model (601 hp) with a small boost in output of just 37 horsepower.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Maserati GT2 Stradale

Even though we here at Engadget prefer EVs, we'd be remiss not to mention at least one gas-powered car at the New York Auto Show. Announced back in February, the Maserati GT2 Stradale is basically a road-legal version of the GT2 race car, which itself is based on the truly outrageous MC20 supercar. And as you'd expect, it has some pretty impressive specs with a blistering 0-60 time of 2.8 seconds despite it only having rear-wheel drive. It also features a carbon monocoque design just like its track-focused sibling and if you want, you can order one with semi-slick racing tires. So if you've ever had dreams of driving a race car on the street, this might be your ride. That said, Maserati hasn't announced official pricing for the GT2 Stradale. But as the saying goes, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

1924 Chrysler 6 prototype

Finally, capping off this list is the Chrysler 6 prototype which made its debut way back at the 1924 New York Auto Show. Granted, this thing is ancient, but at the time it was state-of-the-art boasting the industry's first four-wheel hydraulic brakes along with a six-cylinder engine that produced a whopping 68 horsepower. When it eventually hit the market later that year, the Chrysler 6 cost $1,565. After factoring for inflation, that translates to a sticker price around $29,000, which actually doesn't seem too bad.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Update, April 17 2025, 1:11PM ET: This story has been updated to add information to the intro on public admission days and ticket prices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/here-are-the-coolest-cars-at-new-york-international-auto-show-2025-144832024.html?src=rss

Under no circumstances should you let AI do your schoolwork for you, but Google has decided to make that option a little bit easier for the next year. The company is offering a free year of it's Google One AI Premium plan, which includes Gemini Advanced, access to the AI assistant in the Google Workspace and things like Gemini Live, to any college student willing to sign up.

The offer gives you a sample platter of Google's latest AI features, which normally costs $20 per month, and is primarily focused on things you can do with Gemini. That includes experimental products like NotebookLM for analyzing documents, and Whisk for remixing images and videos. Because this is a Google One plan, you'll also get 2TB of Google Drive storage for the parade of PDFs that make up college life.

You can sign-up for the free offer on Google's website. You need to be 18 years or older, have a ".edu" email address and join before June 30, 2025, but once you do, you'll have the Google One AI Premium plan through July 2026. Google says you'll need to verify you're still a student in 2026, but otherwise, the whole thing is a light lift. Even if you don't care about AI, signing up is worth it for the free extra storage.

Google's intentions here obviously aren't pure. Free storage is nice, but If the company can normalize using AI for a generation of young minds, it can change what's an occasionally useful novelty into an essential. That's not likely to be good for critical thinking or test scores, even if it justifies the money the company is spending on AI research and development.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-trying-to-get-college-students-hooked-on-ai-with-a-free-year-of-gemini-advanced-195706467.html?src=rss

Blizzard has finally shared how hero bans will work in competitive Overwatch 2. The new step will let teams ban heroes they think are overpowered or annoying to play against, without letting them game out who their opposing team might want to play. The feature is a common part of other competitive games like League of Legends, and is a meta-game in its own right.

For Overwatch 2, Blizzard hopes to use the "Ban Phase" mostly to let players remove heroes they find frustrating, and gather data to use when the game is rebalanced. When you first launch into a competitive match, you'll get the option to select your "Preferred Hero," which signals to your team who you don't want to ban. Then you'll rank three heroes you want to remove from the match, with your first choice given the most weight, and your last choice, the least. Blizzard says all teams and players vote simultaneously, but chat will be blocked off between opposing teams until voting ends.

Blizzard

Once all the votes are in, they get tallied using the following guidelines:

The team with the most votes for a specific hero will be considered the “first” team, and will guarantee that their chosen hero is banned. In the case of a tie, the first team is decided randomly.

Then, the other team becomes the “second" team. If the heroes they voted to ban were not the first team's banned hero, then their most and second most voted heroes are banned.

If the second team's most or second most voted pick was also the first team's, then the second team's third most voted hero is removed instead.

And finally, the second most voted hero on the first team is banned, with the same caveat the second team had.

When the number of votes for a hero is tied, the game picks the hero voted by the most players in the lobby (and not the total amount of votes). Ties beyond that are broken randomly, and regardless of how the votes shake out, there's a limit of two bans per role. If you don't want to ban any heroes or don't know who to ban, you can also skip voting and let your teammates decide for you.

Blizzard first announced it would add hero bans to Overwatch 2 with its Season 15 announcement, which introduced a perks system to the game. Hero bans are set to arrive with Season 16 on April 22, which will also include the new Stadium mode, five-on-five matches where players earn currency to spend on upgrades between rounds, and have the option to play in third-person.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-explains-hero-bans-ahead-of-their-introduction-in-competitive-overwatch-210319297.html?src=rss

Music has always had a love-hate relationship with technology. Every time a new tool shows up, there are some who are concerned that it will be the end of real music.The same questions arose when the synthesizer appeared, when the drum machine became popular, and any time auto-tune is used on a popular song. But Cher proved that there was music after auto-tune, just as there is life after love.Claims about the death of authenticity are almost always exaggerated, and accusations of 'cheating' sound absurd in retrospect. Eventually, people learn to sing along to the new tune, or at least admit that electric guitars didn't go around smashing up every acoustic version.All that is overture for people playing the theme from Psycho over AI's presence in music. I'm not discounting the seriousness of a report by French streaming platform Deezer that 18% of songs being uploaded these days are entirely AI-generated. That’s over 20,000 robot-made tracks per day. Twice the number from just a few months ago. Cue the dramatic sting (you know the one, Dun, Dun, Dun!)It’s easy to look at numbers like that and feel a little nervous. After all, the music industry already runs on razor-thin margins for most artists, and now the meager streaming revenue is going to go to robots? Add in the fact that major players like Universal, Sony, and Warner are actively suing AI music platforms like Suno and Udio for allegedly training on copyrighted songs, and you can see how high the stakes are.The music industry is not the entirety of music, however. I firmly believe in robust protection for artists who face AI stealing their work or training on it to mimic them. But that's a business battle, not a war for the fate of human creativity.AI has a place in the recording studio. Once upon a time, many people proclaimed that sampling portended the end of music, with a future of nothing but artists stealing other artists’ work. Now it’s the backbone of entire genres of music. Auto-tune has evolved from a gimmick to a legitimate tool across many music styles. And the aforementioned electric guitar was dismissed for being too loud within many people's lifetimes.Nonetheless, here we are enjoying music made by people pushing buttons, twisting knobs, and bending sound in new ways. AI is just the latest tool. And like any tool, it’s only as good or bad as the person using it.

Allegro AI

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

What worries me isn’t the existence of AI music. It’s the idea that we might start mistaking it for a replacement instead of a collaborator. Left to its own devices, AI doesn’t make bad music, but it can feel empty or just a warmed-over imitation of real music. It’s elevator music, but more expensive.That’s not to say it’s useless, far from it. AI can be a brilliant creative assistant. Stuck on a chord progression? It can help. Need to experiment with a new genre you’ve never written in? Fire it up. Want to turn a poem into a melody just to see what happens? Absolutely. AI can help bring the song in your head to life, but it won't do so without you as the source of the ideas.The real debate should be about how to use AI in music, not whether to ban it outright. I'd be worried about the sheer number of AI songs appearing on streaming services if I were a musician, but not because AI created them. I'd be more concerned about where they are coming from, who's profiting from them, and if any artists' work was illicitly used to train the AI behind the songs.And it's not like every human track is a unique snowflake. A lot of music shares DNA, and the most popular songs sometimes come across as only slightly tweaked versions of each other. Trends are trends, and algorithms have already been shaping what we listen to, nudging us toward the familiar, the market-tested, the sonically safe. AI isn’t creating that dystopia, though it may be speeding up the process.Still, AI could be a boon to music as a whole. Imagine a rural teenager with few resources who can't hire a band, a piano teacher, or a recording studio. With a phone and some imagination, they could use free AI music tools to experiment and share the music in their minds.AI music isn’t the death of music as a concept. It’s a powerful tool that should be handled carefully. It can be a shortcut, but it shouldn't be a thief, and it can't give a song any soul.

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IPVanish's malware and tracker blocking technology has been confirmed as one of the best on the marketVIPRE Advanced Security received the highest rating in the latest AV-Comparatives' Malware Protection TestThis achievement follows a successful independent audit confirming that IPVanish's no-log policy

Independent auditors have just confirmed that the technology behind IPVanish's malware and tracker-blocker tools is one of the best on the market.VIPRE Advanced Security received the highest rating in the latest Malware Protection Test carried on by AV-Comparatives in March 2025. The antivirus bundle service stood out for its strong performance across several potential attack scenarios.The results come about a week after an independent audit also confirmed that IPVanish never logs users' data, in line with what is stated in its no-log VPN policy.

A win for IPVanish users' security

In its latest Malware Protection Test, experts at AV-Comparatives checked the ability of 19 security products to detect and prevent infections from a wide range of malware threats. These include some of the best antivirus services like Avast, Bitdefender, McAfee, Norton, and more.More than 10,000 of the most recent malware samples were tested on a fully updated Windows 11 machine, with the evaluation including offline and online scanning as well as live execution and mirroring real-world conditions.VIPRE Advanced Security was among 10 providers to earn an Advanced+ rating from AV-Comparatives after excelling in all key metrics. Specifically, the tool detected 98.7% of threats consistently both online and offline, gaining a 99.93% protection score during live execution evaluations. It did all that while producing a minimum amount of false positives, too."This award is a win for all IPVanish users because the same cloud-based threat intelligence that earned VIPRE top marks is already working behind the scenes in IPVanish’s Threat Protection feature, along with our QR Code Checker and Link Checker security tools," the provider told TechRadar.

Our security just got a gold star. ⭐VIPRE, the engine behind IPVanish Threat Protection, earned AV-Comparatives’ top malware protection rating! That same power is built into your VPN. #IPVanish #CyberSecurity #AVComparatives #VPN #MalwareProtection https://t.co/k3LqbEoksTApril 16, 2025

IPVanish released its Threat Protection feature in March last year across all its apps, placing the provider alongside some of the best VPN services already offering a similar tool.IPVanish Threat Protection works by filtering out third-party content before loading to preserve data usage while blocking third-party cookies and tracking scripts as well. At the same time, it prevents you from accessing known malicious websites, including phishing schemes and malware-embedded sites, to further protect users and their data.Last June, IPVanish also launched a Link Checker service built on VIPRE's tech. The tool comes as a standalone website and is free to use for everyone, whether or not you're an IPVanish subscriber, to verify the safety of URLs before clicking and protect against phishing scams.The provider has recently integrated a similar tool on its iOS and Android VPN apps. This is a QR Code Checker that allows users to scan QR codes to detect malicious links and phishing traps.

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Andor's lead actor has opened up about the end of the Star Wars TV show after two seasonsDiego Luna is relieved that the Rogue One prequel series wasn't cancelledIt was originally supposed to run for five seasons

Diego Luna believes it's the right decision on Disney's part to allow Andor to end after two seasons rather than one.Chatting to TechRadar before Andor season 2 debuts on Disney+, Luna expressed satisfaction and relief over the opportunity to tell "the story we wanted to" in the Rogue One prequel series. Indeed, Luna was glad that Disney afforded him, showrunner Tony Gilroy, and the rest of the cast and crew the chance to wrap up its narrative, rather than cancel the show after a single season.Luna's worries about the Star Wars TV series ending before its time aren't unfounded. Despite the critical acclaim and award nominations Andor's first season was met with, it's no secret that its development was a costly endeavor.Originally, Andor was supposed to run for five seasons, with its final installment leading directly into the events of Rogue One, However, per a report published by Forbes last December, it's estimated that the price for creating its first two seasons was an astronomical $645 million.

Development on Andor's two seasons reportedly cost over $600 million (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)

With Disney cutting costs across the board during Bob Iger's second stint as CEO, Andor's five-season plan was never going to materialize.Thankfully, during development on one of the best Disney+ shows' first season, Gilroy had a "great idea", according to Luna, to condense four seasons' worth of character arcs and wider storytelling into one more season comprising 12 episodes.It's a format that Gilroy discussed with me prior to season 1's release in August 2022, with the series' head writer calling them "very sexy" time jumps that would depict a single yet important event in each of the four years leading up to the start of Rogue One. Each 12-month period will span three episodes apiece, therefore allowing each narrative the same time and space to depict their individual stories.

The Empire must be stopped. Artwork inspired by Andor and illustrated by @nadamaktari.Don’t miss the three-episode premiere of Andor, streaming April 22 only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/h6vdkclbWhApril 17, 2025

"From the beginning [of this show], we knew what we wanted to do," Luna told me. "Structurally, the plan changed because we soon realized we couldn't commit to five seasons. It takes a lot of energy, time, and money to make one, because each season takes two and a half years of our lives."But, while we were shooting season one, Tony had this great idea of squeezing four seasons into one and essentially make four chapters."I also think that, today in long format storytelling and TV in general, a lot of shows start without knowing where or when they're going to end. But, from beginning to end, we told the story we wanted to tell and that's a beautiful thing to be able to do."I'll have more exclusive content to bring you from my interviews with Diego and more of Andor's cast in the build up to, during, and after season 2's debut. In the meantime, read more of my Andor season 2 coverage below ahead of its April 22 launch in the US, and April 23 arrival in the UK and Australia.

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First Andor season 2 trailer teases Orson Krennic and K-2SO's return, the Death Star's creation, an absurd amount of action and... a Star Wars dance number?New Andor season 2 trailer has got Star Wars fans asking the same question – and it includes an ominous call back to Rogue One's official teaserHere's how you can watch the Star Wars movies in order

Gather 'round, because we've got some tech tales to tell: TechRadar stories from the last seven days, covering new movie trailers, new instant cameras, new open-ear earbuds, problems for Spotify and Samsung, and more advances in artificial intelligence.We keep waiting for the pace of tech news across gadgets, AI, and software to slow down, but it certainly hasn't happened this week. In fact, it feels like there's more news to cover than ever, and we aim to cover as many of the most important announcements as we can.This comprehensive In Case You Missed It round-up will bring you right up to speed with everything that's happened in tech news over the past week, giving you just enough time to take a moment before we go again for another seven days of news and rumors.

8. 28 Years Later terrified us in a new trailer

More zombie mayhem is on the way (Image credit: Sony Pictures)

With the original director-writer combo of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland from the first movie making a return for this third instalment, our hopes were already high for 28 Years Later – and anticipation levels just went up an extra notch after another trailer drop.The 191-second clip manages to give us just enough of a look at the movie to whet our appetites without giving too much away. It certainly seems as though there will be enough jump scares and zombie gore to make the upcoming movie a treat for horror fans.

Read more: 28 Years Later looks like it will be the horror movie of the year in new trailer that shows how the deadly rage virus has evolved

7. We got our first glimpse of the imminent OnePlus 13T

(Image credit: OnePlus)

The next OnePlus phone launch is almost upon us, with the OnePlus 13T officially arriving on April 24. We can take a good, long look at the handset before then, though, because OnePlus has released a short video showing the phone in three different colors.We can see a flat back, curvy corners, and a new button that's replacing the standard OnePlus alert slider on this handset. We've also had confirmation that the phone will sport a 6.32-inch screen, and a capacious 6,000 mAh battery as well.

Read more: The OnePlus 13T is coming on April 24, and the company has already shown it off

6. Samsung’s One UI 7 rollout hit some serious snags

The Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

Getting One UI 7 out to the masses has proved to be quite the challenge for Samsung, and just when we thought owners of Galaxy S24, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 7 phones would be getting the update, the rollout was put on pause amid reports of a serious bug.It's likely to mean that owners of older phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S23, are going to have to wait even longer to get their One UI 7 upgrade. With Android 16 (and therefore One UI 8) just around the corner, it's not a good look if you're Samsung.

Read more: Samsung's One UI 7 update reportedly delayed due to a serious bug, extending the wait for Android 15

5. The music died in Spotify’s biggest outage in years

It's not been the best of weeks for Spotify (Image credit: Shutterstock / Diego Thomazini)

We found ourselves scrambling for our CD decks and radio dials on Wednesday – or maybe just YouTube – as Spotify suffered one of the most serious outages in history. Reports of unresponsive apps came flooding in from across the world for most of the day.We still don't know exactly what happened to trigger such a major problem on Spotify's servers. Perhaps the music streaming service is too embarrassed to tell us, but the company did specifically say that it wasn't a cyberattack causing the extensive issues.

Read more: Spotify was down – here's everything we know about its huge outage

4. Sennheiser gave us some AirPods-like open earbuds

We like the look of the Sennheiser Accentum Open earbuds (Image credit: Sennheiser)

Say hello to the Sennheiser Accentum Open, an AirPods-esque pair of open-ear earbuds that don't cost much at all: in Europe they're listed at €89.90, which should work out as around £100 / £78 / AU$161 when these attractive-looking earbuds go on sale elsewhere.As well as being affordable, they look lightweight and promise 28 hours of battery life between charges (if you include the case). We haven't had a chance to test them yet, but we're hoping they live up to the usual high fidelity standards of Sennheiser's audio gear.

Read more: OpenAI just upgraded memory for ChatGPT – here's everything you need to know

3. The Polaroid Flip took us back to the 90s

Old-school photography, courtesy of the Polaroid Flip (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The Polaroid Flip is the newest analog instant camera on the market, and it might just be the best, too – take a look at some of the snaps we've managed to capture with the device, and make your own mind up about this $199.99 / £199.99 camera (Australia pricing is TBC).It's fast and fun to use, and it's a throwback to when photos weren't stuck inside your smartphone forever: these photos actually make you feel something. Our full Polaroid Flip review will give you the complete rundown on this camera and what it has to offer.

Read more: These 8 photos made me believe the Polaroid Flip is the best analog instant camera on the market

2. Two of the world’s best fitness apps teamed up

Strava and Runna are teaming up (Image credit: Strava)

Strava, meet Runna. These are both fantastic apps for tracking runs and other activities, and now they've joined forces: Strava has announced it's purchased Runna, although nothing is going to change in terms of how the two apps operate for the time being.The aim is to "create even greater value for our users," according to Strava CEO Michael Martin, and we can expect to see some of the AI-powered personalized training plans that Runna specializes in making their way over to users on Strava as well, in due course.

Read more: Strava acquires powerhouse AI-training platform Runna, and Garmin should be panicking

1. ChatGPT got some serious upgrades (again)

OpenAI has some more treats for ChatGPT users (Image credit: Shutterstock/JarTee)

OpenAI has been consistent in regularly pushing out upgrades for ChatGPT users, and the latest update brings new o3 and o4-mini models across all user plans. These models are smarter, faster, and better at working with different modes (including text and images).In fact, these models are a nod towards the eventual arrival of the big GPT-5 upgrade, which is somewhere in the pipeline, and will be able to do much more on its own. In the meantime, images in ChatGPT have also been given their own dedicated Library section.

Read more: ChatGPT just got a massive upgrade that takes it to the next level – here are the 3 biggest changes

Another iPhone 17 dummy unit image appearsWe can see all four expected models next to each otherSome designs are changing on these models

Day by day we're getting closer to September and the expected launch of the iPhone 17, and ahead of the official reveal, we've seen several leaked images purporting to show off this series of handsets – including a new picture featuring all four models.This comes from well-known tipster @MajinBuOfficial, who posted an image to social media showing dummy units of what we think are the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17.They go down in size, starting with the iPhone 17 Pro Max as the biggest. That phone has been tipped to have a 6.9-inch display, with a 6.6-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Air, a 6.3-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Pro, and a 6.1 inch screen for the iPhone 17.That's all largely similar to the current models in terms of screen size, though the iPhone 17 Air is a new addition, so we can't compare it to anything else. It's said to be replacing the iPhone 16 Plus in the line-up, which has a 6.7-inch display.

Cameras and charging

iPhone 17 Lineup pic.twitter.com/JidhEInOofApril 18, 2025

We can see here the rear camera bumps on these iPhones, which in the case of the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro, are going to look substantially different to the ones on the current models – as we've seen from other leaked renders.The four phone dummy units shown here all show MagSafe connectors too, apparently confirming that the wireless charging tech will be coming to these handsets. Rather unexpectedly, Apple left it off the iPhone 16e launched in February.Dummy units like these are built based on schematics obtained from the supply chain, and help accessory makers – third-party case manufacturers for example – get their products ready ahead of a phone actually going on sale.As always, we shouldn't take any of this information as being 100% accurate until it's confirmed by Apple. However, a lot of the leaks and rumors we've seen so far are consistent in the designs they're showing for these 2025 iPhones.

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British photographer Zed Nelson scoops SWPA's $25,000 top prize10 category winners announcedThe exhibition is open to the public at London’s Somerset House until May 5

"In a tiny fraction of Earth's history, humans have altered the world beyond anything it has experienced in tens of millions of years. Scientists are calling it a new epoch: The Anthropocene – the age of human".These are the opening words describing the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 winner Zed Nelson's project, The Anthropocene Illusion.The project, spanning six years and four continents, explores humankind's consumer behaviour towards nature and wildlife."So, while we devastate the world around us, we have become masters of a stage-managed, artificial 'experience' of nature – a reassuring spectacle, an illusion...to mask our destructive impact on the natural world."Powerful words and confrontational images of wildlife in zoos, national parks, and museums across the world, some of which I have included below.

Image 1 of 2(Image credit: © Zed Nelson, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 9)Image 2 of 2(Image credit: © Zed Nelson, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 4)

As I prepared to interview Zed during the opening day of the SWPA 2025 exhibition, which is being held at Somerset House in London until May 5, it struck me how severely AI is impacting the landscape of imaging in an equally tiny fraction of the history of photography.I asked Zed for his thoughts on AI image generation in photography, and here's what he said."The biggest worry in documentary photography, is people stop believing in what they see. Already we're at the stage where we can see an image and the first questions are; Is this photoshopped? Did that really happen? Did you move something? Is that image real?"The problem with that, is that the joy and beauty in photography is to see something and be amazed and think this did happen, this is real, this is a record – even for future generations – of who we were and what we did."If AI erodes people's belief in the medium (photography) then we have problems. On the other hand, it may be that we start valuing truth more. And if an image is declared real - this is not AI, but a document of reality – it may be that its value increases.

There will also be a move, a valuing of what is real, and so documentary work will start to become more important, not less.

"As AI multiplies it will cause problems, people will question what's real and what isn't. But I imagine there will also be a move, a valuing of what is real, and so documentary work will start to become more important, not less. People will crave it, they'll want to know it's real."I think there will be a separation between what is utterly created through AI, and what is declared real. We will gravitate to what is verified as real, made by people that care, and have a genuine interest in telling stories."After our conversation, I amble through the SWPA exhibition, soaking in the diverse collection of very real images. A greater appreciation grows in me for those real stories, real people, real places, created in a real moment in time, and they impact me all the more.I concur with Zed – even as AI-generated images become increasingly believable and plentiful, and the tools become easier and cheaper to access, we'll still need to know and experience what is real, and be moved by it.We can't afford to be disconnected from photography because of AI image generation, in the same way that Zed suggests in his project that we have become disconnected from nature and are instead consumers of it.I've included a selection of the SWPA winning images below. Even so, if you're in London, I highly recommend experiencing the exhibition firsthand and seeking out other photography shows near you. More details can be found at the World Photography Organisation website.

The Sony World Photography Awards 2025 winners for each category

The Sony World Photography Awards comprises 10 categories, and the winner of one of these categories is also awarded the overall photographer of the year. As mentioned, this year's award went to Zed Nelson, who also won the Wildlife & Nature category.In addition to those categories, there is a student photographer and a youth photographer of the year award. I've included an image from each of those winners below.In all, there were around 420,000 entries from 206 countries – a record for the 18-year-old contest.

WILDLIFE & NATURE WINNER & PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: Zed Nelson (United Kingdom) for The Anthropocene Illusion (Image credit: © Zed Nelson, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 9)

OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: Olivier Unia (France) (Image credit: © Olivier Unia, France, Open Photographer of the Year, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

PERSPECTIVES WINNER: Laura Pannack (United Kingdom) for The Journey Home from School (Image credit: © Laura Pannack, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional competition, Perspectives, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 1)

SPORT WINNER: Chantal Pinzi (Italy) for Shred the Patriarchy (Image credit: © Chantal Pinzi, Italy, Winner, Professional competition, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

CREATIVE WINNER: Rhiannon Adam (United Kingdom) for Rhi-Entry (Image credit: © Rhiannon Adam, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 6)

DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS WINNER: Toby Binder (Germany) for Divided Youth of Belfast (Image credit: © Toby Binder, Germany, Winner, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 2)

STILL LIFE WINNER: Peter Franck (Germany) for Still Waiting (Image credit: © Peter Franck, Germany, Winner, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 2)

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN WINNER: Ulana Switucha (Canada) for The Tokyo Toilet Project (Image credit: © Ulana Switucha, Canada, Winner, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 - 3)

YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR: Daniel Dian-Ji Wu (Taiwan, 16 years old) (Image credit: © Daniel Dian-Ji Wu, Taiwan, Youth Photographer of the Year, Youth Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Student Photographer of the Year 2025: Micaela Valdivia Medina (Peru) (Image credit: © Micaela Valdivia Medina, Peru, Student Photographer of the Year, Student Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025 )

ENVIRONMENT WINNER: Nicolás Garrido Huguet (Peru) for Alquimia Textil (Image credit: © Nicolas Garrido Huguet)

PORTRAITURE WINNER: Gui Christ (Brazil) for M’kumba (Image credit: © Gui Christ )

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Daredevil: Born Again season 2 – key information- No release date announced yet- Filming began in late February- No trailer available to watch- Main cast set to return- New additions to its ensemble cast leaked online in March- No official story synopsis revealed- Season 1 finale sets the scene for next season- No word on whether there'll be a third season

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 will continue Matt Murdock and his vigilante alter-ego's journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).The highly-rated Disney+ TV show, which mostly thrilled us during its first season, will be back for more R-rated, street-level action in the near future. Indeed, with principal photography beginning in late February, season 2 could be with us as early as next year.While we wait for Daredevil: Born Again to return, there's plenty to read about its sophomore chapter in this guide, including information on its cast, plot, and future. Major spoilers follow for the popular series' first season, so proceed with caution if you haven't watched it all yet.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 release date – what we know so far

Born Again season 2 won't be with us until sometime in 2026 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 doesn't have a confirmed release date.However, speaking on the Phase Zero podcast prior to season 1's release, Marvel's Head of TV, Animation, and Streaming, Brad Winderbaum, revealed season 2 would start shooting in late February. At the time of this article's publication (April 19), that means the cameras have been rolling for almost two months.As for when the Marvel Phase 6 TV series might make its debut, Winderbaum told ScreenRant that he hoped new seasons would be released annually. That means Born Again season 2 could arrive sometime next year.My best guess? It'll begin airing in early 2026. Aside from Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will arrive in theaters in May and July 2026, no other MCU projects have official release dates. With such a big gap between Marvel's final release of 2025 and Avengers 5, a February or March 2026 release window feels like a perfect fit for Born Again's next installment.And it seems I've perfectly nailed my guess. Taking to Instagram after the season 1 finale, showrunner Dario Scardapane all but confirmed season 2 will be released in March 2026.

Is there a trailer for Daredevil: Born Again season 2?

Staring at your phone or computer screen waiting for a season 2 trailer like... (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

No, and there won't be a Daredevil: Born Again season 2 trailer until much closer to its launch on Disney+. I'll update this section once one is released.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 confirmed cast

Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk will be part of next season's cast (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again season 1.

Based on the final episode of Daredevil: Born Again season 1, here's who I expect to return for its follow-up:

Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/DaredevilVincent D'Onofrio as Wilson FiskMargarita Levieva as Heather GlennNikki M. James as Kristen McDuffieDeborah Ann Woll as Karen PageJon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The PunisherWilson Bethel as Benjamin Pointdexter/BullseyeAyelet Zuhrer as Vanessa FiskGenneya Walton as B.B. UrichArty Froushan as Buck CashmanMichael Gandolfini as Daniel BlakeZabryna Guevara as Sheila RiveraClark Johnson as CherryCamila Rodriguez as Angela del ToroHamish Allan-Headley as Conner PowellTony Dalton as Jack Duquesne/Swordsman

They aren't the only actors we'll see in one of the best Disney+ shows' next installment.Per Deadline, Matthew Lillard (Five Nights at Freddy's, Scooby-Doo) has apparently signed on in an undisclosed role. Deadline has also claimed Lili Taylor (Outer Range, Manhunt) will appear as a political rival to D'Onofrio's Fisk.Elsewhere, images snapped and uploaded to Getty Images by Bauer-Griffin photographer Jose Perez suggest Broadway star Sydney Parra will appear in some capacity.

Fans thought Foggy had died in Born Again's first episode (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The biggest surprise when it comes to season 2's cast list, though, is the return of Elden Henson, who plays Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson.Murdock's fellow lawyer and closest friend was seemingly killed by Bullseye in Born Again's first episode. However, following the show's two-episode premiere, Marvel fans came up with a wild theory that Foggy may still be alive. Some pointed out that Nelson's apparent death was eerily similar to how he faked his own demise in an Ed Brubaker-written Daredevil comic series in the mid-2010s, which Born Again is loosely based on.Speaking to Phase Hero's Brandon Davis prior to season 1's debut, Winderbaum confirmed Elden Henson would be back as Foggy in the show's sophomore season. It's unclear in what capacity that'll be, though. Could it be a flashback sequence or two? Or, as some fans believe, is Foggy still alive? We'll find out when season 2 is released.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 plot details

Matt Murdock is ready to take the fight to Wilson Fisk in season 2 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again season 1.

Born Again season 2's story synopsis hasn't been revealed yet. But, based on how its predecessor ended, what its cast has teased, and some leaked images from where it's being filmed in real-world locations, we have a good idea of what might happen.I won't be covering what happened in last season's final episode here. For a full rundown of events in 'Straight to Hell', plus some key questions that season 2 needs to answer, my Daredevil: Born Again season 1 ending explained piece should be your first port of call.Additionally, on the non-spoiler front, Cox hyped up the story that'll be told in season 2, the show's lead telling Collider that it's "some of my favorite stuff I've read". D'Onofrio also told a round table of journalists (per IGN) that he "had to have a little cry about" this season's scripts due to the emotional impact they'll have on viewers.

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But what can we expect from season 2's overarching narrative from a spoiler-led perspective? For starters, this season has been in development since March 2023. In light of the creative troubles Born Again season 1 was met with later that year, the show underwent an overhaul, which included the hiring of current showrunner Dario Scardapane and directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead.One thing that was retained, though, was its episodic structure. Like season 1, the show's sophomore outing will comprise eight episodes, which Scardapane reconfirmed to Collider in February.As its predecessor's finale revealed, Matt Murdock and Karen Page co-founded an underground resistance movement that'll fight Fisk's fascist regime to regain control of New York's streets.We already have a sense of how they'll start to do so, too. In late March, a bunch of first-look season 2 images appeared online that showed Murdock and Page wearing disguises (or what passes for a disguise in the MCU). Clearly, they're scoping out something or someone, or they're on the hunt for new allies to join their cause.

pic.twitter.com/MkWIh1cIDVApril 11, 2025

That won't be the only costume overhaul that Cox's Murdock will get in season 2. As some leaked images in the above X/Twitter post reveal, Murdock will be sporting Daredevil's classic black suit, complete with its red-colored 'DD' logo on the chest, next time around.Bullseye, who Daredevil will pursue and/or escape from Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) with, is also seen wearing an updated version of his classic costume. Clearly, the pair haven't heeded Fisk's warning about vigilantes taking to the streets amid the implementation of martial law in New York – part of his 'safer streets' initiative to eradicate the scourge of masked individuals from the city.There are plenty more superhuman characters who could populate the street corner of the MCU, including those who appeared in Netflix's now-defunct Marvel TV universe. So, what are the chances of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist not only making their MCU debuts in season 2 but helping Daredevil combat the threat that the Fisks pose?In conversation with Entertainment Weekly (EW), Winderbaum and fellow producer Sana Amanat wouldn't rule out one or all of those characters, or even the reintroduction of Elektra and The Hand, showing up in Daredevil: Born Again season 2.

Tom Holland's Spider-Man isn't likely to appear in season 2 (Image credit: Sony Pictures/Marvel Entertainment)

One hero who's incredibly unlikely to join Daredevil's cause (on the small screen, anyway) is Tom Holland's Spider-Man.There were references to Spider-Man in Born Again episode 2 and Born Again episode 3. However, Sony Pictures owns the live-action rights to the webslinger, so, unless Marvel strikes an expensive deal with the tech giant's entertainment division, the chances of Peter Parker popping in to help take down Fisk are effectively zero. We live in hope, then, that The Devil of Hell's Kitchen will team up with Spidey in a big-screen project instead.

Where to watch Daredevil: Born Again season 1

You'll be waltzing to Disney+ to stream all nine episodes of Daredevil: Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 is only available to stream on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services.If you haven't watched its nine episodes to date but are interested in doing so, you'll need to sign up for an account. Check out our Disney+ price guide for more on how much a subscription will cost you.

Will there be a third season of Daredevil: Born Again?

Frank Castle/The Punisher will star in his own Disney+ special, which could also arrive in 2026 (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is highly unlikely to have any impact on what'll happen in the next two Avengers movies or Spider-Man 4. However, other projects will be *ahem* born out of what happened last season and in the series' next outing.The first of those will be a Disney+ special presentation starring Frank Castle/The Punisher. Per The Hollywood Reporter, it could be released in 2026, so events in this TV Special may run parallel to Born Again's next chapter. It's being co-written by Bernthal and We Own This City director Reinaldo Marcus Green, who has called it a "shotgun blast of a story" (via EW).As I mentioned earlier, Marvel may look to revisit characters from Netflix's Defenders-Verse, too. Speaking to ComicBook.com, Winderbaum intimated it was "inevitable" that the likes of Jones, Cage et al. would make their MCU debuts before telling EW that the comic book giant was "very much exploring" ways to bring them over.The devil, though, is in the details, so we'll see what shakes out of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 first before expecting too much, too soon on a potential The Defenders reunion.

For more Marvel coverage, read my guides on Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Tempest Rising, a real-time strategy game that's being called a "spiritual successor" and an homage to Command & Conquer, is now available to everyone. It was supposed to be released on April 24, but according to its developers, it was "unexpectedly made available" on April 17 for all players who pre-ordered the game. Instead of pulling it back, they've decided that the best and most seamless solution was to just release it a week early.

The game was developed by Danish studio Slipgate Ironworks and Polish studio 2B Games. In its Steam page, the developers said it was "inspired by RTS (real-time strategy) greats of the 90s and 2000s." It's set in a modern day alternative history scenario, wherein the world is at war to control the "Tempest vines" growing across the planet.

The player takes on the role of Commander for either the "highly mobile and advanced" Global Defense Forces peacekeeping corps or the Tempest Dynasty, which the developers describe as "hard-hitting and desperate." A third faction will be available in multiplayer mode. Each faction has different strategies and combat techniques players can choose from, and players will be able to customize their army for each mission in the two 11-mission campaigns.

Players can still get the "Commander Pack" pre-order bonus if they buy the game before April 24, giving them access to all bonus content. And since getting access to the game a week early was supposed to be an exclusive perk for those who've pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition, the developers are making it up to them with new in-game bonuses that will be revealed "as soon as possible."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/real-time-strategy-game-tempest-rising-has-been-released-early-to-all-users-130033479.html?src=rss

EA and Lucasfilm shared first look at Star Wars Zero Company, a new single-player strategy game set in the Star Wars universe, at Star Wars Celebration in Japan. The game was originally announced in 2022 as one of three new Star Wars titles being developed or co-developed by Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, including a new first person shooter and another entry in the Jedi series. There isn't a firm release date yet, but Star Wars Zero Company will be available on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 in 2026.

"In Star Wars Zero Company, players will step into the shoes of Hawks, a former Republic officer, to command an elite squad of cunning operatives through a gritty and authentic story set in the twilight of the Clone Wars," according to a press release published alongside the announcement trailer.

Star Wars Zero Company was born out of a collaboration between Respawn and a new studio called Bit Reactor. The inspiration the game clearly draws from XCOM: Enemy Unknown and other Firaxis strategy games didn't happen by accident. Bit Reactor's staff includes some former Firaxis' employees, and the founder and creative director of Bit Reactor, Greg Foertsch, was a senior art director on XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2.

"Our vision for Star Wars Zero Company is grounded in gameplay design pillars that weave in the immersive Star Wars galaxy with engaging turn-based tactics gameplay," Foertsch said in a statement. "It’s our aim to deliver a game with an original Star Wars story from the Clone Wars era that has meaningful outcomes from player choices, and deep turn-based tactical combat with an approachable and cinematic presentation."

Striking some kind of balance between the mass appeal of Star Wars and the niche expectations of strategy and tactics fans has always been the goal of Zero Company. In an interview with PC Gamer in 2024, Foertsch and Bit Reactor's lead animator Hector Antunez (another XCOM alum) suggested that they wanted their Star Wars game to have the cinematic storytelling of Respawn's games without missing out on a satisfying strategy experience. "I don't think that complexity equals depth," Foertsch said, "and I think that that's really what we're focused on. Differentiating that nuance between those two things."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/star-wars-zero-company-looks-like-xcom-with-jedi-and-droids-135850369.html?src=rss

Shrinking season 3: key information- Production on season 3 has already begun- It will return to Apple TV+- The main cast are returning- A new cast member has been added- The theme of the show is “moving forward”

Shrinking season 3 is officially on the way, and fans of the heartwarming (and often hilarious) Apple TV+ series have plenty to look forward to.Created by Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein, the comedy-drama follows therapist Jimmy Laird (played by Segel) as he starts breaking the rules with his patients while grieving the loss of his wife. His unconventional approach shakes up their lives, and his, in unexpected ways.The show has been praised for its emotional depth, excellent performances, and its ability to balance sharp humor with heartfelt storytelling. It's easily one of the best Apple TV+ shows and season 2 was even more acclaimed than the first, so it’s no surprise there’s already serious buzz about what’s next.While Apple's renewal of Shrinking season 3 itself wasn’t a shock – Bill Lawrence has always said that the show was originally pitched as a three-season arc – the speed of the green light shows Apple’s confidence in where it’s headed.So, what can we expect from season 3 of Shrinking? Below, we’ve gathered everything we know so far, from returning cast members to potential storylines for Jimmy, Alice, and the rest of the crew.

Shrinking season 3: when will it be released?

Jason Segel and Jessica Williams star in season 2 of Shrinking, how will their dynamic develop in season 3? (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

There are no official details yet about when Shrinking season 3 will be released. But the good news is that the third season was greenlit just as season 2 was launching – and everything seems to be moving quickly since. That suggests we may still have a bit of a wait, but likely not as long as some other shows.In even better news, production is now already underway. Apple TV+ recently shared an update on Twitter/X confirming that Shrinking season 3 has officially started filming.The post includes a behind-the-scenes video featuring co-creator Bill Lawrence welcoming back the main cast, including Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, and Ted McGinley.

A word from Bill Lawrence: #Shrinking Season 3 is now in production. pic.twitter.com/nYWIRdTrOFMarch 19, 2025

While there’s still no confirmed release window, we can make a few educated guesses. It took two years for season 2 to arrive after season 1, but that gap was largely due to the Hollywood strikes in 2023. This time, the turnaround is expected to be much faster, since season 3 was renewed early and filming is already in progress.For comparison, season 2 was filmed between January and June 2024 and released in the fall of that year. If season 3 follows a similar production schedule – and so far it seems to be – a fall 2025 release feels like a realistic estimate.Even before Apple’s video update, Christa Miller (who plays Liz) had already confirmed that filming was about to begin. In a heartfelt Instagram video, she spoke about the shoot taking place in Los Angeles – a meaningful decision for the cast and crew following recent wildfires in the area.

A post shared by Christa Miller (@christabmiller)A photo posted by on

“It’s a really special moment for our cast and crew. Because not only do we shoot in Pasadena, we film in Altadena as well," she says. “And after the devastating fires that hit Los Angeles, it feels more important than ever to support all of the communities that have been affected and this is the city where the magic happens and stories are told and dreams come true and that’s why our show is staying here.”

Shrinking season 3: has a trailer been released?

There’s no trailer for Shrinking season 3 just yet – it’s still early days, with filming only just underway. But that just means we’ve got something to look forward to.If we’re aiming for a late 2025 release (and yes, that’s still just speculation), a first teaser or trailer might drop sometime in the summer. As soon as it’s released, we’ll update this page and include it here.In the meantime, you can always revisit the Shrinking season 2 trailer to have a look at where we left off.

Shrinking season 3: confirmed cast

Harrison Ford and Jason Segel play Jimmy Laird and Dr. Paul Rhoades in Shrinking. How will their dynamic change when Jimmy's real dad shows up? (Image credit: Apple TV Plus )

We know Jason Segel is returning, he’s the main character, co-creator, and one of the writers. But what about the rest of the cast? For the most part, yes. Most of the core cast is expected to return, and as always, we can look forward to some standout guest stars along the way.Speaking to Variety in 2023 about the cast and the three seasons he had planned, Bill Lawrence said: “Part of the fun for me in doing shows with, like, Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, is that you can tell actors that you’ve always wanted to work with, ‘If you give me three seasons, that’s fine if you want to split.’ So all I can tell you is that all the gang that we roped in for this one was down for doing that.”We know a lot of the main cast from the first two seasons are returning, this includes:

Harrison Ford as PaulLukita Maxwell as AlexTed McGinley as DerekChrista Miller as LizJason Segel as JimmyLuke Tennie as SeanMichael Urie as BrianJessica Williams as Gaby

We’ve also got some early casting news. According to Deadline, Jeff Daniels is joining the series as Jimmy’s father. He’s been mentioned a few times across the first two seasons, but otherwise, Daniels’ character remains a mystery – no official details have been revealed about his role just yet.What we do know is that Harrison Ford’s Dr. Paul Rhoades has been a father figure to Jimmy and a grandfather figure to Alice, so it’ll be interesting to see how that dynamic shifts with Jimmy’s real dad now in the picture.It also looks like Brett Goldstein could be making a return as Louis. Lawrence was talking to Deadline and, when asked if Louis would return for season 3, said: “Yeah, I gotta leverage that dude. I think the ending was satisfying. I hope it was for people. But I think I’ve been public about saying the first year is about grief, the second year was about forgiveness and third year’s about moving forward.”He continued: “I don’t think you can do this show about moving forward without knowing how that guy’s life moves forward, at least for an episode or two. So now I just got to leverage Brett into doing what I want him to do. He’s a very busy man. It’s very frustrating.”In another interview with TV Line, Lawrence said: “I’m going to strong-arm Brett into showing his face, hopefully, at least a couple more times.” So although we don’t know for sure, it really sounds like Lawrence wants Goldstein back, at least for an episode or two.

Shrinking season 3: story synopsis and rumors

Jason Segel is not only Jimmy Laird, the star of Shrinking, but he's a co-creator and writer, too (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Potential spoilers follow for Shrinking below.

Apple TV+ and the Shrinking team haven’t shared any official plot details just yet, but the creators have dropped some interesting hints in interviews.In a 2023 conversation with Variety, co-creator Bill Lawrence revealed that the show was pitched with a clear three-season arc:“The second year is about forgiveness, and the third year is about moving forward [...] We pitched three seasons – the beginning, middle and end,”That kind of clarity is always reassuring. When a show knows exactly where it’s headed, it often means more satisfying stories and stronger emotional payoffs. That said, don’t expect a neatly wrapped ending.In a more recent interview with TV Insider, Lawrence explained:“You can imagine by just the overarching title of forgiveness that what we’re really going to be watching is whether – and by the way, it’s not always cut and dry. I think we all have people in our life that we can never get over the hump with. And so Shrinking, it’s not necessarily going to be the most hunky dory, soft edges type of ending.”He added: “Whenever anybody undergoes a true catastrophic stick in the spokes in their life, like the characters in the show did, what you’re really talking about the first two years is what it means to survive and then kind of bury the hatchet and mend fences. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be able to move forward in your life and start over again. I think that’s what people will probably be watching the third year.”And looking ahead to what’s next, he says: “And when you say moving forward, even off the top of my head so it’s not a spoiler, I think people are aware that we’ve intentionally made a young woman who’s a senior in high school. We’ve potentially gotten some people in serious relationships. We’ve intentionally been looking at Harrison Ford’s character and how much longer can he do this with the condition he has. And so I think it’s going to be a rich third year too. I say that because we’re already writing it.”So, while it's unlikely Shrinking will tie everything up in a neat bow, we can expect the characters to be facing some major crossroads – especially when it comes to aging, independence, parenting, and starting over.Even without teasers, we can make a few educated guesses about season 3 of Shrinking based on how season 2 wrapped.Jimmy ended up forgiving Louis and, ultimately, saving his life. That arc also helped Jimmy process his grief and forgive himself. His relationship with Alice began to heal too. After months of tension and emotional distance, she forgave him for how he’d acted in the wake of her mother’s death.As for the other characters, Paul (Harrison Ford) had his own moment of truth, admitting he’ll need support as his Parkinson’s disease worsens. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lawrence said that Paul’s story is “gonna be a huge part of next year”.There’s also a hint at a new storyline from Christa Miller (Liz), who posted a behind-the-scenes photo of herself holding a baby on Instagram.

A post shared by Christa Miller (@christabmiller)A photo posted by on

This would line up with how season 2 ended. Brian and Charlie were preparing to adopt, and they asked Liz to help out. She agreed, possibly taking on a nanny role.With so many emotional threads in play, season 3 is shaping up to be an opportunity to dig deeper into growth, change, and how people move forward.

Will there be more seasons of Shrinking?

Jimmy's arc in Shrinking season 2 was really satisfying to watch (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Now that season 3 is officially happening, and Bill Lawrence has revealed that he knows where it’s headed, the big question is, could Shrinking continue beyond that into future seasons? Right now, it doesn’t seem likely.Lawrence has been clear from the start that Shrinking was always envisioned as a three season story. He’s even hinted at how things will wrap up. That said, in TV land, we’ve learned to never say never.Just because season 4 isn’t part of the original arc doesn’t mean the show couldn’t return in some form – especially if the audience keeps showing up and Apple sees potential. Still, fans probably shouldn’t hold their breath for more Shrinking after season 3. And if it did happen? It would likely take longer to hit screens, since the first three seasons were plotted from the start, and anything beyond would require a whole new chapter.For now, it looks like this story has an end in sight, but stranger things have happened.

For more Apple TV+ series-based coverage, read our guides on Severance season 3, Silo season 3 and Slow Horses season 5.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, April 19 (game #677).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #679) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

BARJOKEBUNNYSHIRTDYEWHIPSOCKРЕЕРEGGGANDERHIPRUBBER BANDSLOOKBASINCODEGLANCE

NYT Connections today (game #679) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: Eye spyGREEN: 70s DIY fashionBLUE: The common theme rhymes with “back” PURPLE: A small jump

Need more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #679) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: GLIMPSE GREEN: NEEDS FOR TIE-DYEING A SHIRT BLUE: THINGS YOU CAN CRACK PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "HOP"

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #679) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #679, are…

YELLOW: GLIMPSE GANDER, GLANCE, LOOK, PEEPGREEN: NEEDS FOR TIE-DYEING A SHIRT BASIN, DYE, RUBBER BANDS, SHIRTBLUE: THINGS YOU CAN CRACK CODE, EGG, JOKE, WHIPPURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "HOP" BAR, BUNNY, HIP, SOCK

My rating: HardMy score: 3 mistakes

I got the green group NEEDS FOR TIE-DYEING without knowing what I was looking for, just a process of elimination with the eight words I had left. It’s not something that I’ve ever personally done and I had no idea of the process.GLIMPSE was a good deal easier — interestingly, GANDER was in yesterday’s “Take a ___” themed Strands and the trick pairing of PEEPs and BUNNY appeared in today’s. It feels like we are getting ever closer to a mash-up between the two puzzles – like when the cast of Family Guy appeared in The Simpsons.THINGS YOU CAN CRACK was a great category for Easter, although I almost included HIP.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 19 April, game #678)

YELLOW: SPOKEN PRESENTATION ADDRESS, LECTURE, SPEECH, TALKGREEN: ADJECTIVES FOR A DESERT DRY, HOT, SANDY, VASTBLUE: DOG BREEDS, INFORMALLY BULLY, CHOW, GOLDEN, LABPURPLE: REPRESENTED BY THREE-DIGIT NUMBERS CANNABIS, DEVIL, INTRO CLASS, JAMES BOND

What is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, April 19 (game #412).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #413) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… On the hunt

NYT Strands today (game #413) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

SEEDYCAKESOAKNECKCAREBORE

NYT Strands today (game #413) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #413) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: left, 4th rowLast side: right, 3rd row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #413) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #413, are…

BUNNYTOYSBOOKEGGSCHOCOLATECANDYPEEPSSPANGRAM: EASTER BASKET

My rating: EasyMy score: Perfect

An easy, relaxing wordsearch that saw my mind wandering.I have a friend in construction who spent 18 months building an enormous factory that was completely dedicated to year-round production of Easter EGGS. It seems crazy for a product that really should just be available for a couple of weeks a year.However, in the UK, Easter has a bigger build-up than any other chocolate-based holiday (let’s face it, they’re all about the chocolate). Almost as soon as Christmas is over the first hollow chocolate eggs start appearing – from actual egg-sized to chocolate eggs the size of your head – slowly multiplying and taking up entire supermarket aisles until tomorrow, when they will vanish completely.According to my research (erm, TikTok) things seem a bit calmer elsewhere in the world – although the US has PEEPS, a marshmallow delight that has failed to make it anywhere else in the world. Maybe they have really high tariffs or something.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 19 April, game #412)

HINTCHANCEHIKEGANDERNUMBERSELFIEBREATHERSPANGRAM: TAKE THAT

What is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, April 19 (game #1181).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1182) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1182) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1182) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1182) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1182) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• D• H• S• F

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1182) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1182, are…

DINERHORDESHONEFUGUE

My winning streak continues, but today was far from easy and I spent quite a while entering my remaining letters, until I got to something that sounded right.The only time I’ve heard the word FUGUE was in an early episode of Breaking Bad, when science-teacher-turned-drug-lord Walter White staged a fugue state to get out of a sticky situation.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1182) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1182, are…

SWELLITCHYPAPERGUILT

Quordle answers: The past 20

Quordle #1181, Saturday, 19 April: GRADE, LAUGH, RAINY, EXULTQuordle #1180, Friday, 18 April: DEBUT, GLADE, BASTE, PESTOQuordle #1179, Thursday, 17 April: SPRAY, RAMEN, SHELF, COURTQuordle #1178, Wednesday 16 April: STUMP, GRAFT, CHORD, INPUTQuordle #1177, Tuesday 15 April: SLEET, MERIT, HARSH, FORAYQuordle #1176, Monday 14 April: DRAWL, CROOK, ACTOR, LANCEQuordle #1175, Sunday 13 April: SHALE, KINKY, SHORN, WHOOPQuordle #1174, Saturday 12 April: BLIND, OVOID, CACHE, THINGQuordle #1173, Friday 11 April: FOLLY, PITHY, SCOWL, CURLYQuordle #1172, Thursday 10 April: LEAST, SEWER, UNTIE, NOOSEQuordle #1171, Wednesday 9 April: LITHE, LEFTY, KNOLL, MULCHQuordle #1170, Tuesday 8 April: WIDTH, VISOR, MEDAL, BROOKQuordle #1169, Monday 7 April: BROTH, SHOUT, BRUTE, CABINQuordle #1168, Sunday 6 April: AMBER, GAUZE, STORE, SLICKQuordle #1167, Saturday 5 April: GUSTY, VAULT, WHINE, BEGATQuordle #1166, Friday 4 April: OAKEN, LOOPY, CURIO, BUTTEQuordle #1165, Thursday 3 April: ASCOT, JETTY, DRUNK, JOLLYQuordle #1164, Wednesday 2 April: INDEX, QUEEN, INCUR, STOLEQuordle #1163, Tuesday 1 April: HUMUS, BALMY, WORRY, ERECTQuordle #1162, Monday 31 March: RECUT, MOODY, WHERE, BRACE

A 'consistent volume' setting is spotted in YouTube MusicIt should prevent tracks being wildly different in their volume levelsNot everyone is getting the feature right away

Having a track come crashing in at an unexpectedly high volume level – or being much quieter than what's come before – isn't a great listening experience, and it's something YouTube Music is aiming to prevent with its latest feature update.As spotted by the team at 9to5Google, a new option called 'consistent volume' is now making its way to the YouTube Music apps for Android and iOS. The idea is, all your tracks, no matter where you've got them from, will use a similar volume range.Loud songs will still be loud and quiet songs will still be quiet of course, but it should help with tracks that have been recorded or converted at noticeably different volume levels, so your ears know more or less what to expect.The feature follows on from the 'stable volume' feature that's been available across different YouTube apps for some time. It's also something you can find inside Spotify's range of apps, where it's called 'audio normalization'.

Slowly appearing

It seems that the consistent volume feature is being rolled out quite slowly, or perhaps just being tested with a limited group of people for now. The 9to5Google team has seen it on some of their phones, but it hasn't shown up for the Android Authority team.If you don't have it yet, you'll just have to be patient. To check if you've got it, open up the YouTube Music app for Android or iOS, then tap your profile picture (top right) and Settings, then choose Playback (Android) or Playback and restrictions (iOS).Here in the UK I can't see it on either my Android phone or my iPhone, so don't be surprised if it hasn't shown up yet for you. According to 9to5Google, you need version 8.15 of the YouTube Music app, so check to see if any updates are pending.It's certainly a feature that YouTube Music users have been wanting, with Reddit threads going back years on the topic. As yet there's not been any official announcement about this from Google, but we'll let you know if one appears.

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18-inch Schenker laptop is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU It offers a choice Nvidia RTX GPUs and up to 256GB of RAM and 32TB of storageAdvanced cooling system keeps it quiet and there’s a choice of performance profiles

If you’re in the market for a high-performance mobile workstation with impressive performance, high capacity storage, and advanced thermal management, then this 18-inch laptop from German hardware manufacturer Schenker should be right up your strasse.The Schenker Key 18 Pro (E25), Schenker’s first 18-inch laptop in nearly 14 years, is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and a choice of three top-tier Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards, including the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 Ti.The Key 18 Pro supports up to 256GB of RAM and offers four M.2 SSD slots, one of which uses PCIe 5.0, for up to 32TB SSD storage. The system supports RAID 1 configurations and comes with thermal pads for both occupied and spare storage slots.

Keeping cool

The laptop’s cooling setup includes a composite heat pipe system with two fans, four exhaust vents, and thermal pads made of Honeywell PTM7950. These contribute to a quieter operation compared to the new laptop’s predecessor, the KEY 17 Pro (M24). Buyers can choose from three performance profiles that balance speed and acoustics through software or a hotkey shortcut.There are two 18-inch display options available, a 1600p 240Hz model and a 4K 200Hz variant, both with full DCI-P3 coverage, 500 nits brightness, and G-SYNC support. Display switching between integrated and discrete graphics is handled via Advanced Optimus or a manual MUX switch.Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 5 ports, two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, HDMI 2.1, and Wi-Fi 7. A redesigned 330W power supply now uses a standard 5.5mm barrel connector. The laptop also includes a 5 MP webcam with privacy shutter and a sound system with a subwoofer.With a footprint of 402 x 320 x 29.5mm and a weight of 3.95kg, the device fits into the larger end of portable workstations, but it’s well within an acceptable range for mobile professionals.Prices at Bestware.com start at €3,199 (including 19% VAT). A full-spec model costs around €8,614 (with VAT), which is considerably lower than Eurocom's similarly specced Raptor X18 laptop.

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A NASA spacecraft will make a close approach to an asteroid in the main belt on Sunday afternoon, in the second of several asteroid flybys planned for its 12-year mission to study remnants of the early solar system. The Lucy spacecraft will be 596 miles (960 km) from asteroid Donaldjohanson — named after the paleoanthropologist who discovered the “Lucy” hominin fossil — at the closest point of its pass, which will occur at 1:51PM ET. Lucy will use three instruments to capture detailed observations as the object gets closer, rotating with the asteroid over a few hours to get the full picture. It will stop tracking just before the asteroid is nearest, when it’ll have to shield its instruments due to the position of the sun to prevent damaging them.

The spacecraft previously visited a small asteroid called Dinkinesh in 2023, and its observations revealed that the asteroid is orbited by what’s known as a contact binary, or a peanut-shaped double moon “made of two smaller objects touching each other,” NASA explained at the time. After Donaldjohanson, Lucy will move on to its main targets, a handful of “Trojan” asteroids orbiting the sun in the same path as Jupiter. It’s expected to reach the first of those objects in 2027.

“Every asteroid has a different story to tell, and these stories weave together to paint the history of our solar system,” Tom Statler, Lucy mission program scientist, said in a press release. “The fact that each new asteroid we visit knocks our socks off means we’re only beginning to understand the depth and richness of that history. Telescopic observations are hinting that Donaldjohanson is going to have an interesting story, and I’m fully expecting to be surprised — again.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasas-lucy-spacecraft-is-about-to-have-its-second-close-encounter-with-an-asteroid-180735995.html?src=rss

Spoilers for “Lux.”

It’s an interesting time to be a long-running science fantasy media property in the streaming TV age. Star Trek is in the grip of an existential crisis as it (wrongly) fears it’s too old-aged to be relevant. Star Wars became a battlefield in the culture war and, to duck all future bad faith criticism, gave us The Rise of Skywalker. And then there’s Doctor Who, which is somehow managing to plough a 62-year furrow and still fill it with original ideas. Don’t believe me? This week the Doctor and Belinda go up against a sentient cartoon holding the patrons of a 1950s cinema hostage.

James Pardon / BBC Studios / Disney / Bad Wolf

It’s 1952 in a sparsely populated cinema as the audience watches a breathless newsreel on the power of the atomic bomb. The projectionist flips over to a Merrie Melodies-style cartoon of Mr. Ring-A-Ding (voiced by Alan Cumming), an old-timey song-and-dance character. Just then, a beam of moonlight shines through the window, reflecting off a teaspoon and strikes the screen. Mr. Ring-A-Ding comes to life, talking directly to the scoffing audience before emerging into the theater to the sound of screams.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Belinda are in the TARDIS trying to work out why it’s refusing to land on May 24, 2025. Belinda asks why he doesn’t just take the ship back to his home planet for a fix, but she doesn’t get a satisfactory answer. Instead, the Doctor has built a gadget that will help pull the TARDIS back to the present day, it just needs to land in a few other places first. The pair wind up in Miami in 1952 and while the Doctor initially insists Belinda stay indoors, she’s eager to see what it’s like.

They step out into the night (slash early morning) of 1952 Miami, outside the cinema from the pre-credits, albeit three months after Mr. Ring-A-Ding came to life. Since then, the theater has been locked shut, with the 15 patrons in the audience going missing; the projectionist, Reginald Pye, has stayed behind to act as caretaker, playing films to an empty room.

They visit the diner across the street and meet the mother of one of the missing patrons, Mrs. Lowenstein, who fills in the backstory. They head into the cinema and Mr. Ring-A-Ding makes it clear he’s about to trap them in film before a Mr. Ring-A-Ding short stays playing on the screen. While he’s distracted, the Doctor and Belinda hot-foot it to the projection room where they meet Pye, who has been looking after the cinema patrons, all of whom have been trapped in a strip of film.

Pye has been keeping Mr. Ring-a-Ding alive and appeased by playing movies for him every night. But the sinister cartoon has also given Pye something in return: He has a film of his late wife who Mr. Ring-A-Ding can bring back as a “real” person, at least for a few moments each night. Following on the theme of coercion from last week, the carrot is also a stick, since Mr. Ring-A-Ding also threatens to destroy that film if Pye steps out of line.

Naturally, Mr. Ring-A-Ding isn’t just a beloved old-timey cartoon character but a god, one of the same pantheon as the Toymaker, Maestro and Sutekh. His real identity is Lux Imperator, or Lord of Light, and he's determined to consume all the light he can, including the most delicious (potential) meal of all — the atom bomb he’s been learning about in the newsreels. To prevent the Doctor and Belinda frustrating his plans, he manages to trap them in a cartoon.

The Doctor and Belinda are turned into two-dimensional drawings, with two-dimensional minds and characterizations. In their panic, they confess their anxieties, including the Doctor’s worries he can’t get Belinda home. As they do so, they acquire physical depth until they return to their normal selves, and then break (okay, knocking over) the fourth wall into… someone’s living room.

The Doctor and Belinda are greeted by a trio of Doctor Who fans watching the episode who are shocked and delighted to meet their heroes. The fans, Hassan Chowdry (Samir Arrian), Lizzie Abel (Bronté Barbé) and Robyn Gossage (Steph Lacey) explain, uh, Doctor Who to the Doctor. The season’s subconscious theme of Steven Moffat envy continues, with the trio saying their favorite episode is “Blink.” Robyn also points out that the end of the episode is pretty obvious given that celluloid is highly explosive. There’s even time for the fans to be called annoying — a facet they (like all “good” Doctor Who fans) will admit to with a heavy dose of self-awareness.

The trio ready to kick the Doctor out as the episode hits the 30-minute mark, which means it’s time for the third act. But they’re also sad, realizing that they’re the fictitious ones, not the Doctor and Belinda, as they don’t have surnames. They know the characters that don’t have surnames are unimportant, incidental figures in the story that will die when the time travelers crawl back through the screen. (Aside: They do in the closing credits, something that Davies’ alluded to in his most recent column for Doctor Who Magazine talking about the realities of giving one-shot characters names for the credits.)

The Doctor and Belinda return to the cinema, where the previously kind Mrs. Lowenstein has hauled a police officer in to arrest the pair for trespassing in a whites-only cinema. The Doctor fairly instantly calls BS, especially since the police officer is wearing a New York-style uniform: They’re still in the film, and when they break out, the Doctor and Belinda meet Lux / Mr. Ring-A-Ding once again. Lux magically summons up long lengths of filmstrips that act like ropes, wrapping them around his wrists and raising him up high. He turns on the projector which draws the Doctor’s regeneration out as light, projected onto Mr. Ring. A Ding.

Belinda, meanwhile, heads off to a storage cupboard, pulls out lots of film and throws it on the floor. But Reginald the projectionist won’t give her the matches she needs to start the fire until, uh, the ghost of his wife, briefly returning as a solid person, hands him the matches. Belinda then blows a hole in the roof of the cinema big enough to expose Mr. Ring-A-Ding to sunlight, which causes him to exponentially grow until he’s not just bigger than the planet but bigger than the universe itself. Or something.

In the daylight of Miami, Belinda asks the Doctor how exactly Lux / Mr. Ring-A-Ding was destroyed. “We’re 60 percent water and we can still drown,” he explains as the formerly trapped patrons of the cinema emerge from their three month imprisonment. The Doctor and Belinda have bonded over their shared worries, and Belinda is a lot more comfortable with her slightly longer route home. As they head into the TARDIS, Mrs. Flood greets the crowd and tells them if they want to see a really exciting sight, they should watch the ship disappear. Sadly, she adds, it’s a “limited run,” which will end on May 24th.

BBC Studios / Disney / Bad Wolf

Eight disconnected thoughts about “Lux.”

Density

Like “The Robot Revolution” before it, “Lux” is packed full of concepts and themes that could easily be the sole subject of a story. This thematic density has always been a part of Doctor Who — a show that has often worn its deep political and literary ambitions on its sleeve — but it can be both a blessing and a curse.

Just think about the sheer number of ideas this one episode is playing with, touching upon:

How time travel as a plot device can be implicated by race.

How media habits and consumption have changed in the last century.

How human nature hasn’t changed in the last century.

How awful it is to be held hostage by your own desire.

What it would be like if a fictional character discovered they were fictional.

That’s a hell of a lot of stuff to get through in 45 minutes, even if you’re not going to explore any of them. Though it may be a thrilling high-wire act Davies is pulling off, the result doesn’t have anything weighty to say. Not that I expect or need every episode to be About Something In A Very Special Way, but these themes aren’t meant to be just window dressing.

Ironically, and to contradict what I just wrote, I found “Lux” to be far more enjoyable than “The Robot Revolution.” Free of the burden of having to introduce Belinda and lay down the shape of this year’s overarching storyline, the episode is able to focus on just being itself. Everything here joins up in a more satisfying way, and the emotional beats, while rushed, at least make sense.

Rhyming history

As soon as Ncuti Gatwa was held aloft by moving filmstrips, I realized how closely the scene mirrored the conclusion of “The Devil’s Chord.” I’m not surprised, given both episodes feature the Doctor fighting a member of the Pantheon’s roster of rogue gods. After all, our heroes turn up in what is ostensibly the past of our living memory (‘60s last year, ‘50s here) to battle a god using pop culture as a vehicle (music then, cinema now). For the filmstrips here, Maestro dragged the Doctor and Ruby around Abbey Road with ribbons of music notation.

Soft Elbows

In the few times Doctor Who has acknowledged its fanbase, it’s with a loving elbow to their ribcages. It helps that the series is so tied to the UK’s cultural DNA that everyone is a fan, even if they’re not a fan. Perhaps more importantly, Davies, Moffat and Chibnall were all prominent fans before they had TV careers. All of us are capable of conceding we are (or can be) bloody annoying at times and insufferably smug at others.

One thing did occur to me: All three times Doctor Who has acknowledged its fanbase — Whizzkid in “Greatest Show", the members of LINDA in “Love and Monsters” and here — the themes are the same. Doctor Who fans are always kind-hearted, a little bit annoying and they get taken advantage of by a bad faith figure (Captain Cook, Victor Kennedy and Lux). Isn’t that interesting?

Importance

A key trait of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor is his compassion, even going so far as to kiss a Roomba to apologize for turning it off. When Hassan, Lizzie and Robyn say they're "not important" as surname-less side characters, it irked me that the Doctor didn't push back.

Production

Much like last week’s episode, “Lux” is wonderfully well-made with every quarter of the production team operating at their peak. Mr Ring–A-Ding is a triumph, capturing the rubber hose style of animation from that era utterly perfectly. The 2D version is great, and the 3D edition he tries to evolve into at the conclusion is the right sort of horrifying.

Belinda

After “The Robot Revolution,” plenty of fans online suggested Belinda knew a little more than she was meant to. Specifically, she knew the name of the TARDIS despite the Doctor calling it his spaceship earlier in the episode. At the start of “Lux,” Belinda says the Doctor is a Time Lord so his people should be able to fix the malfunctioning TARDIS.

I can see why fans, trained on mystery box shows, would be intent on mining lines of dialog in this fashion. But I think they’re chasing shadows: Davies has never been that sort of writer and probably isn’t going to start seeding his dialog with hints that subtle now. The way I read it, the Doctor has probably gotten used to giving new friends an (off-screen) introduction of the basics.

You could easily imagine a cut-for-necessity scene where the Doctor rattles off the whole “time lord with their own time and space machine” spiel. And you’d expect them not to race toward the more trauma-dump-y elements of their biography, like being the last of them still alive. Belinda was also surprised to see the TARDIS land in 1950s Miami, even after seeing it in space last week. Given the theme of the episode was Belinda slowly embracing her time with the Doctor it makes more sense.

That said, it’s interesting that Davies’ specifically focused on the surnames of minor characters for his column in this month’s Doctor Who Magazine. Naturally, he was wrapping a tease for a future episode inside an anecdote about having to clear even minor character surnames with the show’s legal department. And when the Doctor meets the fans, Robyn points out she knows how the episode ends because she read the leak about it online. I should admit, too, that I read the fairly detailed leak about this episode that included the reveal of this fourth-wall-destroying scene. I would never suggest Davies is playing four-dimensional chess with the audience, but if the detailed leak of this episode came from the production office as a further tweak of the metafiction then, bravo.

Queer representation

The awning outside the cinema is advertising a Rock Hudson movie, and Belinda comments that she learned about the late actor on a HIV training course. He was one of the first people in the public eye to pass away from AIDS, causing a shift in public attitudes. Before Hudson’s death, the US had refused to sanction additional funds to support research into combatting the disease.

Doctor Who has shied away from directly addressing plenty of social issues during its long run, or even allegorically. Despite the vast number of queer people who were involved in its creation and production, such topics were treated as taboo. That the show can now make such a direct reference to Hudson feels refreshing, especially if it prompts some folks to read up on the issue.

The politics of race

There are better qualified writers who can discuss the issues around race and racism that the episode features. “Lux” is set in 1952, two years before Brown v. Board of Education, in a Miami that is segregated. It’s not the first episode of Doctor Who to deal with this, nor the first of Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure that has intentionally highlighted that the Doctor is played by an actor of color.

I suspect that one moment in particular will provoke discussion: When Belinda is outraged to learn the diner is segregated. The Doctor shuts down her objections, saying that he has toppled worlds, and has sometimes lived in worlds and let them “topple themselves.” For the latter, his approach is to “shut up and shine,” suggesting he sits on the respectability politics-end of the spectrum.

It’s perhaps here that we see the limits of what stories Doctor Who can tell given these events took place in our own recent history. The lead character can topple other worlds in any era, but given we’re all aware of human history, can’t act to rid the world of this injustice. Which affirms the theory that the show is fundamentally conservative in nature since one of the Doctor’s main driving forces is to protect the course of history as it presently is.

Mrs. Flood corner

Now we know Mrs. Flood can appear wherever the TARDIS is, so it’s likely she’ll be popping up in every episode, just like Susan Twist did last year. Here, she simply repeated her ominous threat that the Doctor’s time is running out, which is due to happen on May 24th. May 24th is when this season’s seventh and penultimate episode will air.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/doctor-who-lux-review-hope-can-change-the-world-190033447.html?src=rss

ChatGPT’s memory used to be simple. You told it what to remember, and it listened.Since 2024, ChatGPT has had a memory feature that lets users store helpful context. From your tone of voice and writing style to your goals, interests, and ongoing projects. You could go into settings to view, update, or delete these memories. Occasionally, it would note something important on its own. But largely, it remembered what you asked it to. Now, that’s changing.OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is rolling out a major upgrade to its memory. Beyond the handful of facts you manually saved, ChatGPT will now draw from all of your past conversations to inform future responses by itself.According to OpenAI, memory now works in two ways: “saved memories,” added directly by the user, and insights from “chat history,” which are the ones that ChatGPT will gather automatically.This feature, called long-term or persistent memory, is rolling out to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users. However, at the time of writing, it’s not available in the UK, EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland due to regional regulations.The idea here is simple: the more ChatGPT remembers, the more helpful it becomes. It’s a big leap for personalization. But it’s also a good moment to pause and ask what we might be giving up in return.

A memory that gets personal

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

It’s easy to see the appeal here. A more personalized experience from ChatGPT means you explain yourself less and get more relevant answers. It’s helpful, efficient, and familiar.“Personalization has always been about memory,” says Rohan Sarin, Product Manager at Speechmatics, an AI speech tech company. “Knowing someone for longer means you don’t need to explain everything to them anymore.”He gives an example: ask ChatGPT to recommend a pizza place, and it might gently steer you toward something more aligned with your fitness goals – a subtle nudge based on what it knows about you. It's not just following instructions, it’s reading between the lines.“That’s how we get close to someone,” Sarin says. “It’s also how we trust them.” That emotional resonance is what makes these tools feel so useful – maybe even comforting. But it also raises the risk of emotional dependence. Which, arguably, is the whole point.“From a product perspective, storage has always been about stickiness,” Sarin tells me. “It keeps users coming back. With each interaction, the switching cost increases.”OpenAI doesn’t hide this. The company's CEO,. Sam Altman, tweeted that memory enables “AI systems that get to know you over your life, and become extremely useful and personalized.”That usefulness is clear. But so is the risk of depending on them not just to help us, but to know us.

Does it remember like we do?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

A challenge with long-term memory in AI is its inability to understand context in the same way humans do.We instinctively compartmentalize, separating what’s private from what’s professional, what’s important from what’s fleeting. ChatGPT may struggle with that sort of context switching.Sarin points out that because people use ChatGPT for so many different things, those lines may blur. “IRL, we rely on non-verbal cues to prioritize. AI doesn’t have those. So memory without context could bring up uncomfortable triggers.”He gives the example of ChatGPT referencing magic and fantasy in every story or creative suggestion just because you mentioned liking Harry Potter once. Will it draw from past memories even if they're no longer relevant? “Our ability to forget is part of how we grow,” he says. “If AI only reflects who we were, it might limit who we become.”Without a way to rank, the model may surface things that feel random, outdated, or even inappropriate for the moment.

Bringing AI memory into the workplace

Persistent memory could be hugely useful for work. Julian Wiffen, Chief of AI and Data Science at Matillion, a data integration platform with AI built in, sees strong use cases: “It could improve continuity for long-term projects, reduce repeated prompts, and offer a more tailored assistant experience," he says.But he’s also wary. “In practice, there are serious nuances that users, and especially companies, need to consider.” His biggest concerns here are privacy, control, and data security.“I often experiment or think out loud in prompts. I wouldn’t want that retained – or worse, surfaced again in another context,” Wiffen says. He also flags risks in technical environments, where fragments of code or sensitive data might carry over between projects, raising IP or compliance concerns. “These issues are magnified in regulated industries or collaborative settings.”

Whose memory is it anyway?

OpenAI stresses that users can still manage memory – delete individual memories that aren't relevant anymore, turn it off entirely, or use the new “Temporary Chat” button. This now appears at the top of the chat screen for conversations that are not informed by past memories and won't be used to build new ones either.However, Wiffen says that might not be enough. “What worries me is the lack of fine-grained control and transparency,” he says. “It's often unclear what the model remembers, how long it retains information, and whether it can be truly forgotten.”He’s also concerned about compliance with data protection laws, like GDPR: “Even well-meaning memory features could accidentally retain sensitive personal data or internal information from projects. And from a security standpoint, persistent memory expands the attack surface.” This is likely why the new update hasn't rolled out globally yet.What’s the answer? “We need clearer guardrails, more transparent memory indicators, and the ability to fully control what’s remembered and what’s not," Wiffen explains.

Not all AI remembers the same

(Image credit: OpenAI & Google & Microsoft)

Other AI tools are taking different approaches to memory. For example, AI assistant Claude doesn’t store persistent memory outside your current conversation. That means fewer personalization features, but more control and privacy.Perplexity, an AI search engine, doesn’t focus on memory at all – it retrieves real-time web information instead. Whereas Replika, AI designed for emotional companionship, goes the other way, storing long-term emotional context to deepen relationships with users.So, each system handles memory differently based on its goals. And the more they know about us, the better they fulfill those goals – whether that’s helping us write, connect, search, or feel understood.The question isn’t whether memory is useful; I think it clearly is. The question is whether we want AI to become this good at fulfilling these roles.It’s easy to say yes because these tools are designed to be helpful, efficient, even indispensable. But that usefulness isn’t neutral, it’s intentional. These systems are built by companies that benefit when we rely on them more.You wouldn’t willingly give up a second brain that remembers everything about you, possibly better than you do. And that’s the point. That’s what the companies behind your favorite AI tools are counting on.

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Lenovo’s ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 supports up to 96GB DDR5 RAM, but only with Krackan Point CPU modelsRapid Charge delivers 80% power in 60 minutes using a 65W USB-C adapterHowever its battery may struggle under heavy performance loads

Lenovo has announced its most powerful AMD laptop yet: the ThinkPad P14s Gen 6, which is set to launch with the 12-core AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX Pro 370, making it the company's first AMD-powered model to break past the eight-core ceiling.Aimed at creative professionals and mobile users who need both AI processing and core-heavy performance, the ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 supports up to 96GB of DDR5-5600 RAM - but only in configurations using the Krackan Point CPUs, namely the Ryzen AI 5 Pro 340 and Ryzen AI 7 Pro 350.That means the 12-core Strix Point model may be capped at 64GB of soldered memory. While it's a limitation, it still offers enough for demanding workloads like 3D rendering or Photoshop, making it a strong candidate for users searching for the best laptop for photo editing.

Poor choice of battery

While the processing capacity could place it among the best workstation contenders in terms of raw power, there’s a drawback: the model’s battery may struggle to match the chip’s power demands.Weighing 1.39 kg (3.06 lbs) and measuring 10.9–16.3 mm thick, the device uses either a 57Whr or 52.5Whr battery, depending on the CPU.Although both batteries are larger than the weedy 39.3Whr battery on the previous ThinkPad P14s Gen 5, they may still struggle under the load of the new, more powerful processors. However, the laptop supports Rapid Charge with a 65W adapter, capable of reaching 80% battery in 60 minutes.This lightweight mobile workstation, currently listed on Lenovo Malaysia’s website, features a 14-inch 2.8K OLED panel with 100% DCI-P3 coverage and an anti-glare coating.It includes TÜV certifications for Eyesafe and Low Blue Light, a touchscreen, integrated PrivacyGuard, and will be available in different IPS variants offering up to 500-nit brightness.Graphics are handled by an integrated AMD Radeon 890M, built on RDNA 3.5 architecture, delivering up to 32 TOPS and supported by AMD’s PRO Graphics Driver.For connectivity, the device offers WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, optional 5G or CAT16 WWAN with eSIM, and optional NFC.Physical ports include two USB-C (Thunderbolt 4) ports, two USB-A (5 Gbps) ports, HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet, a headphone/mic combo jack, and optional Nano SIM and smart card readers.Price and availability remain unclear, as the listing simply states “available soon.” Given that the T14 Gen 6 AMD models are unlikely to ship before May or June 2025, the P14s variant likely won’t hit shelves before summer either.

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Americans admit to hoarding digital files with 77% saying they have too much dataManaging their files leaves a third of people feeling overwhelmed and anxiousYounger generations are projected to spend $40,000 on cloud storage across their lifetime

Americans are facing a growing digital clutter problem, according to a recent survey by Compass Datacenters, which found over three-quarters (77%) of people admitted - unsurprisingly - to having more digital files than they need.Conducted between January 21 and February 5, 2025, the poll of 1,000 people revealed digital hoarding is not only out of control, but many are unsure how to even begin managing it.One-third of respondents said managing their digital files made them feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed. A mere 10% reported feeling confident when it comes to deleting unnecessary files. Although they recognized that excess data can slow devices, drain batteries, and make it harder to find important information, they were not ready to hit the delete key and take action.

A costly habit

Digital clutter is not just a minor inconvenience - it can be a costly one too, as storage prices are climbing. The survey found that younger generations, in particular, are paying to store files rather than deleting them.The survey authors note, “Accounting for a 3% inflation rate, assuming a 25-year-old pays $20/month for data storage until the age of 85, they will spend $40,000 over their lifetime on digital storage.”Compass Datacenters partnered with expert digital minimalist Kath Younger to inspire and assist people in cleaning out their digital closet.You can view the tips and tricks they came up with at Delete Digital Dust Bunnies.

How to declutter your data

(Image credit: Paul Tessier / Shutterstock)

Digital decluttering does not have to be a huge project. Taking small, regular steps can protect devices, save money, and reduce stress.The first place to start is by cleaning out your photo library. Delete blurry shots, duplicates, and old screenshots you no longer need. Aim to do this monthly rather than waiting for years to pass.Next, sort through your apps. Check what you have and what you actually use. If you have apps you haven't opened in months, get rid of them. You can always reinstall any you need.Review your downloads folder and email inbox. Old receipts, newsletters, and random files add up fast. Focus on emails with attachments to free up the most storage space.Consider setting up a simple backup system with an external hard drive instead of paying for cloud storage. HDDs and SSDs with 4TB of storage are available for a one-time purchase price that is far less than you would pay for years of cloud fees.Schedule a “digital spring cleaning” day a couple of times a year. Treat it like cleaning out a closet - a little annoying at first, but rewarding once done.By being more mindful of the digital clutter you create and keep, it becomes easier to manage over time. Taking action today can save you from bigger hassles down the road.

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Beijing held what’s being called the world’s first half-marathon for robots, allowing bipedal bots to compete alongside human runners, and as one might expect, ridiculousness ensued. The robots, which had human operators running with them, for the most part struggled to make it through the course at all, let alone complete the full 13 miles within the four-hour cutoff time. “One fell at the starting line,” Bloomberg reports. “Another’s head fell off and rolled on the ground. And one collapsed and broke into pieces.” They may not be gold medalists just yet, but the videos sure are entertaining.

The humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing just started! pic.twitter.com/8vr2nXQwuR— The Humanoid Hub (@TheHumanoidHub) April 19, 2025

According to Bloomberg, 21 robots participated in the race, but the winner — X Humanoid’s five-foot-ten Tiangong Ultra — was one of only four to make it all the way to the end in the allotted time. And at two hours and 40 minutes, its finishing time was more than double that of the winning human runners.

The teams were allowed to do battery swaps (Tiangong Ultra reportedly finished on its third battery) and even switch out their robots mid-race for substitutes, though doing that came with time penalties. Along with Tiangong Ultra, which ran at around five miles per hour, the robot runners included Noetix Robotics’ N2, a Gundam-inspired robot, a “female-looking” bot called Huan Huan, and the 30-inch-tall Little Giant robot made by local college students, Bloomberg reports. Many of them were wearing human running shoes.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/a-bunch-of-robots-ran-a-half-marathon-alongside-humans-and-it-was-incredibly-goofy-215134524.html?src=rss

I’ve heard the term ‘console-quality graphics' touted around a fair bit for first-person shooter or action adventure mobile games. But few have really delivered on the promise of such visual wizardry, even when looking back at last-generation consoles – at least not until now.With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple’s A17 Pro chip brought the ability to run actual console games like Death Stranding, albeit with slightly choppy performance and at a low resolution. But we’re still taking a proper AAA, full-fat console game running on a slim device that you can slip into your pocket.The iPhone 16 Pro then upped the game - literally - with the A18 Pro chip, which promised a gaming performance boost.

Taking aim

(Image credit: Future)

I recently had the chance to try out the iOS version of Sniper Elite 4 on such a chip with my iPhone 16 Pro Max.If you’re not already familiar, the Sniper Elite games are third-person tactical shooters set in WW2. Players are tasked with taking out targets using stealth and ranged shots on large open world maps. The game became renowned for its gory kills, where a bullet’s trajectory is shown in slow motion, complete with an X-Ray look at how it entered a Nazi soldier's body, splitting bones, sinew, and guts in glorious detail.Released back in 2017 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, Sniper Elite 4 wasn’t exactly cutting-edge but it was still a great-looking game. I played it a few years ago on an Xbox One X, after it had been enhanced for that powered-up console, and had a fantastic time, especially in the co-op mode with a friend.Coming back all these years later, I was curious how it would hold up on a modern smartphone.Going in, I’ll be honest and admit my hopes weren’t too high… though they weren’t exactly low either given the performance that Apple claims its in-house chip can achieve – especially when we’re talking about running a somewhat old game rather than the likes of Cyberpunk 2077.And so with the help of a Backbone One Gen 2 mobile controller, I dived into Sniper Elite 4.

Sniper treat, but not quite elite

(Image credit: Future)

Straight off the bat (or should that be rifle butt) I’m surprised at how good the game looks on iOS; sunlight pierces the puffy clouds realistically, buildings are suitably detailed, and the realistic character models are miles from the low-poly plastic soldiers I was expecting. It’s not flawless, though as some of the foliage looks a little flat and, running at a 720p resolution, there’s no shortage of jagged edges.There are other caveats too. First off, the frame rate caps out at around 30 frames per second – that’s ok on paper, but in a game that rewards smooth pinpoint accuracy, it’s not exactly ideal. Add in some dips and the experience can be a little ropey when the action picks up.The second issue is the built-in touchscreen controls are asking a bit much of a modest 6.7 inch display. Maybe people who are adept at Call of Duty Warzone Mobile will have a different experience, but my recommendation would be to play with one of the best mobile controllers instead.

(Image credit: Future)

Yet the experience impressed me on the whole. It’s like playing something on my Steam Deck; the game still looks perfectly pleasant, despite clear compromises in detail and sharpness. As such, I could see myself ploughing a decent amount of time into Sniper Elite 4 to pass the time on a tedious journey or when sitting out in the sun.It’s also promising in another way: iOS could become the home of proper console-quality gaming on smartphones. When the currently rumoured but almost inevitable iPhone 17 comes around, I expect Apple to equip it with a new and improved chip.While AI performance will likely be the focus thanks to its current Apple Intelligence push, I’m hoping to see a generational boost in gaming power too.If that happens, it could open up the door for even more demanding console games to come to iOS.

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While on the ground at the recent Adobe Summit 2025 conference, which was filled with announcements of how AI can revolutionize the creative industry and customer service, I spoke to Anjul Bhambhri, SVP for Adobe Experience Cloud, about the real impacts AI can have on both customers and CX workers which weren’t covered in the main keynote sessions.Throughout the whole event, the candidness exhibited by the speakers was already more evident than I’d expected, given the intention to show off new products, but Bhambhri made this more evident in opening up to me about how Adobe really goes about driving AI innovations.The key themes of our discussion were customer centricity and transparency, which Bhambhri covered from all angles – both Adobe’s commitment to protecting workers and how Adobe’s clients can pass this value on to their customers.

How transparency should guide your AI strategy

I probed Bhambhri to offer SMBs advice on how they can keep up with evolving trends, and that sense of transparency rang true.She noted that all businesses must remain agile by actively listening to customers to pinpoint their unique pain points, which would lead them to create more impactful products.With the industry still taking shape, I criticized governments, companies and regulatory organizations for not offering enough guidance, which makes it challenging for anybody adopting AI to know that they’re doing it right – a sentiment felt even more so by SMBs and startups with limited resources.Bhambhri added that ensuring data governance with clearly defined roles and responsibilities is just as important as being ‘on the ground’ with customers.Regulations like GDPR, HIPAA and FERPA all set out how data should be managed, and it’s the responsibility of any company, AI-enhanced or not, to manage customer data responsibly.However, all of this requires huge amounts of capital, human resources and computational power, which can come at the expense of sustainability. I asked Bhambhri how smaller companies can handle these huge expenses when resources can be so limited, particularly in the current climate.

The SVP explained to me how Adobe categorizes data into hot, warm and cold storage to manage resources more effectively in order to minimize environmental impacts.Setting a strong foundation for data management today is vital, because the amount of data we produce is rising exponentially both as businesses and as consumers – think about it, when was the last time you cleared through your iCloud photo library?Companies can also consider splitting storage across SSDs and HDDs, finding the most optimal balance for storage acquisition and energy consumption.Whatever the advice was that Bhambhri had given to me, she was keen to stress one thing – businesses should keep their clients in the loop at all points of the transaction, whether that means simply telling them that their data might be moved from different storage categories or given them the choice to get more involved.Although Summit 2025 focused on Adobe’s own innovations, my brief discussion with Anjul Bhambhri highlighted two key takeaways that small businesses can adopt so that they’re not left behind on the AI wave: transparency both with customers and about services is paramount, and the proper management of data both from a regulatory and an environmental standpoint is vital.

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In many ways, I’m an odd guy – I do odd things, think odd thoughts, and find odd solutions to odd problems. But then I also use and love the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which probably makes me seem supremely basic as a tech journalist.Yet putting aside that imagined juxtaposition, I have found an odd use for Apple’s new Camera Control feature that I really wasn’t expecting to catch my attention.Now, I’ve written before about how I’m interested in the haptics-centric extra button Apple has added to its best iPhones with the explicit idea of doing more with the cameras with greater control. But Camera Control isn’t a feature that I’ve fully embraced; more often than not, I’ll forget about it if I’m shooting quick snaps. I appreciated its potential, but Camera Control still feels a little half-baked…That was until I needed to photograph and record the back of my head.

Thinking with my head

(Image credit: Future)

No, no, before you rush to the comments section, I haven’t gone mad. Rather, I needed to do so for a pseudo-medical reason. Specifically, I was concerned about the health of my hair at the back, and potential skin irritation (look, I’m 38, and at the age where parts of my body start to malfunction bit by bit).If you’ve ever tried snapping a photo of the back of your noggin, then you’ll know it’s a nightmare.Trying to guess the angle of the cameras – whether you’re using rear or selfie snappers – is an exercise in frustration and borderline madness. Then, when you think you’ve nailed the angle after a deluge of attempts, you fail to hit the digital shutter button or tap it in such a way that the shot goes askew.Such moments can make you want to fling your phone across a room or at an inviting wall. But I can’t alleviate my irritation like that, as the phones I use are review samples and I’d get into more trouble than a moment's angry respite is worth.However, for me, having a physical shutter button changed the weird photography game.Through the use of Camera Control and my iPhone’s selfie camera, I was able to get some semi-useful shots and videos of the back head, ready to be pored over with increasing paranoia.

It's growing on me

The simple ability to smoothly tap a physical dedicated button was mildly transformative, letting me keep what I thought was the right framing and snap shots at speed, two things I would and have struggled to do before Camera Control.Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture, as I’ve gone about my travels and odd wanderings, I’m slowly finding myself using the Camera Control button a lot more. It’s a weird mental leap, not automatically tapping the digital shutter button, but when I need to keep a nicely lined-up shot in place, Camera Control proves its usefulness.I’m not fully won over by it, and I’ve yet to really get to grips with the Apple Intelligence features it facilitates. Yet there’s scope for Apple to build out the functionality and intuitiveness of Camera Control, which I hope to see realized on the rumored iPhone 17.What do you reckon? Do you use Camera Control, or do you think it’s still a bit of a dud now that the iPhone 16 line has had time to settle in? Let me know in the comments.

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Outer Banks 5: Key information - The fifth and final season was confirmed in November 2024- Production is expected to start in early 2025 through until the end of the year- Confirmed cast include Madison Bailey (Kiara), Carlacia Grant (Cleo), Drew Starkey (Rafe) and Carlacia Grant (Sofia)- The plot is likely to be about the friends avenging JJ’s death – he was stabbed by his dad, Chandler Groff – and trying to get back the Blue Crown- The focus of season five is going to be on Kiara and Cleo- The creators also teased that it will be an incredible season: “We think it will be our best yet”

Outer Banks season 5 is one of the most highly-anticipated Netflix teen dramas.The show is based around two rival groups, the Kooks and the Pogues – no, not affiliated to the bands of the same names – who live on the fictional island of Kildare in North Carolina.The previous series of the show, which premiered in April 2020, has mainly followed the Pogues through all types of high drama, but the fourth series rolled to an end in November 2024. Alongside the show’s first feature-film length episode, the creators announced that a fifth – but final – season had been confirmed.Writing an open letter to OBX fans on social media, creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke said: “From this beginning, we imagined a mystery that would lead to a five-season journey of adventure, treasure hunting, and friendship. At the time, seven years ago, it seemed impossible that we would really get to tell the whole five-season story, but here we are at the end of our fourth season, still chopping away.""Now, with a little sadness, but also excitement, we're putting season 4 behind us, and are turning to season 5, in which we hope to bring our beloved Pogues home in the way we imagined and planned years ago.”With production planned in for 2025, it’s going to be a while before it hits our screens, but in the meantime, here’s everything we know so far, including OBX 5’s release date, confirmed cast, trailer news and potential plots:

Outer Banks 5: does it have a release date?

(Image credit: Netflix)

As the fifth season hasn’t gone into production yet – it’s been pencilled in from early 2025 to the end of the year – there’s no release date on the horizon.We might expect to see it on screens in late 2026, but it could even end up being more like 2027 before we join the gangs again.

Outer Banks 5: is there a trailer yet?

(Image credit: Netflix)

No, not yet, but a warning, be wary when Googling for it, as there’s quite a few fan-generated trailers claiming to be genuine, however they are not the official trailer. We’ll let you know when that drops.

Outer Banks 5: has there been a cast confirmed?

The shock death of JJ will have repercussions and revenge in season 5 (Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

The shock death of JJ Maybank – stabbed by Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane), who he had just discovered was his biological father – obviously means there will be no Rudy Pankow in season 5, unless he appears as flashbacks.As a result, speaking with Deadline, the creators confirmed some key characters who the fifth season would focus on. “Kiara [Madison Bailey] is going to be a big focus, but we definitely want to give more time to Cleo [Carlacia Grant] too,” Josh Pate said. “It’s a question of bandwidth in the show that we have with all these stories, so it’s hard to say, but we definitely want to develop Cleo and honor her character as well.”Pace also confirmed a return from Rafe (Drew Starkey) and his ex-fiancée, Sofia (Fiona Palomo): “We have plans for both of them. We love Drew and we think he can do anything, so he's heavily involved in our seconds for next year.”We’ll keep you posted as to when other cast members are confirmed as making a comeback.

Outer Banks 5: what do we know about the plot?

The friend's search for the Blue Crown continues, now it's in Chandler Groff's murderous hands (Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

Well, the feature-length ep of season 4, The Blue Crown, definitely gave us lots to chew on, and a lot of storylines that could be picked up in the final season. Namely, the murder of JJ by Chandler in Morocco. The rotter even stole the Blue Crown from his Pogue son, and planned to sell it in Portugal. So it’s likely that season 5 will see us all travel to the Mediterranean country, as his gang mates were forced to bury JJ in the desert, but vowed to get revenge on Groff.Speaking with Tudum, Josh Pate said: “We’re planning a story of redemption, and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent. JJ’s death was a hard but necessary piece of the architecture for the story, and we plan on honoring that as much as we can because we love the character as much as the fans do.”Meanwhile, John B (Chase Stokes) and Sarah (Madelyn Cline) announced that Sarah is pregnant with their baby, so a new Poguelet arrival is likely on the cards for the follow-up season. The storyline might also follow Pope (Jonathan Daviss) having his imminent Marine enlistment, as well as dealing with PTSD from killing Lightner.Whatever the plot for the season will be, the creators have promised: “Season 5 will be our last season, and we think it will be our best yet. We hope you'll join us for one more paddle out to the surf break.”

Outer Banks: what’s the future?

(Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

While Outer Banks is coming to an end with this next season, there are plans already in place for a prequel, called Kildare.According to Port City Daily: “It will have a whole new set of younger actors, as it will take place at the founding of each group and explore the class divide present on the show’s fictitious Figure 8 (named after Wilmington’s own private island of wealthy residents) in Kildare County.” It will be reportedly shot in Wilmington.

For more Netflix TV series coverage, read our guides on Bridgerton season 4, One Piece season 2 and Emily in Paris season 5.

AI is going to take over our lives. At least that’s what we keep being told. So, in a world where thousands of jobs could be replaced by AI, it’s easy to scoff that AI can make our lives better.But it can. As we’ve seen from our use of scores of artificial intelligence platforms, artificial intelligence can equip all of us to do many things that were once beyond the scope of the majority.And, as controversial as some of those things may be, they can also make a big difference to our overall well-being, freeing up time, making us skilled in new areas and helping to keep us calm.Having played around with Gemini, I’ve certainly seen its transformative powers and it’s helping me to become more productive, informed and chilled.Whereas once I was getting severe FOMO, having missed a heap of events I would have loved to attend, I’m even very much on top of my social life. Here are five things you can ask Gemini to help improve your life, too.

1. How can I save time doing something?

(Image credit: Pixabay)

Many of us perform monotonous, repetitive tasks each day, whether that’s trying to extract information from documents to organize into spreadsheets, checking text for grammar errors, writing code and more.Gemini can help with most of this and all you need to do is ask “how can I save time doing XXX” where XXX is the thing that you need assistance with.You should see a rundown of the steps you need to take to complete that particular task. So, for example, when we’re asking to save time with data entry, it’ll tell you to indicate the columns you need, the data types for each column and more.This saves you having to browse the web looking for instructions but this time-saving tip also extends beyond what Gemini itself can do for you. You can ask it to shave hours off practically any task whether it’s laying a patio, assembling IKEA furniture or tips on how to make journeys quicker.

2. Is there a mindfulness or de-stress routine I can try?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Gemini can come to the rescue by helping you to relax or focus on the tasks you need to complete. It can give you a full mindfulness routine lasting up to 15 minutes or tailor it for a specific set of time.Gemini can also act as a therapist and it’s interesting to note that a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders observed “noteworthy improvements in depression and anxiety” among 3,477 participants who used AI-based chatbots to treat these conditions.Taking cues from that, there is a Mental Health Companion AI app, which has leveraged the power of Gemini, that was an entry in a Gemini API Developer Competition. It’s certainly worth trying, although always seek professional guidance if necessary.

3. What solutions can you offer me for a problem?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / fizkes)

If you’re stuck on a task and just can’t think of a way around it, Gemini can usually offer you a fresh solution and help to move you forward.For example, if you’ve spotted some damp on your wall and you can’t work out what could be causing it, you could ask Gemini to offer some different perspectives.You could ask it to help with an afternoon slump, perhaps detailing the food you’ve eaten today and the things you’ve done in order to discover a potential cause. If you get in the swing of asking for assistance, it’ll become second nature and that can make life better in the long run.

4. What is the weather today and what can I do?

(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rainforest Fund)

Gemini is able to make use of your location to not only tell you what the weather is going to be but also what you may be able to do with your time.You can specify exactly the kind of thing you’re after – tell it if you want low-cost or free activities and whether you’re looking to relax, for example – and it will give you a list of suggestions, the length of which will be dependable on your area.The AI platform can access the web and discover any events that may be on with direct links to the source so you can read more or obtain tickets if required.In that sense, it can revolutionize your free time by ensuring you don’t miss out. What’s more, with Gemini Live on your phone, you can also get suggestions based on what’s on your screen – for example destination ideas based on a video or article.

5. Learn a new skill

(Image credit: Pixabay)

According to scientists at the Zuckerman Institute in Columbia, you should seek to learn something new each day. A study published in the journal Nature suggested discovering new skills can prime the brain to adapt to changing circumstances and it keeps our gray matter ready to learn.There’s a simple way to do this in Gemini. Just write: “I want to start learning” and detail what it is you want to skill up in. Then add: “Can you outline the first steps I should take and suggest some good free online resources or tutorials”. This can break down those daunting tasks and it makes use of Gemini’s ability to find and structure information.

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We can expect the Nothing Phone 3 in Q3July seems a good bet based on previous launchesWe already have the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro

We've been waiting a while for the Nothing Phone 3 – you may remember its launch was pushed back last year because Nothing wanted more time to work on its software and AI – but we now know it will definitely be arriving this year.After opening up an 'ask me anything' session on X, Nothing CEO Carl Pei said that the Nothing Phone 3 would be launching in "Q3", the third quarter of this year. That puts the launch window as July, August, or September.We didn't get any more details than that, unfortunately, so it remains to be seen exactly when the next flagship phone from Nothing will make an appearance. The Nothing Phone 2 was launched in July of 2023, which may give us a clue.Back in November of last year we heard a tip that Nothing would launch three phones by the middle of this year, which means around June and July time – and the Nothing Phone 3a and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro were both unveiled in March 2025.

The story so far

Q3April 18, 2025

If Nothing had stuck to a regular schedule, we would've seen the Nothing Phone 3 in July 2024. However, in June 2024, Pei announced that the handset's launched would be pushed back to this year, stressing the need to "get the product right".Pei went on to say that "integrating hardware and AI in a way that is both useful and brings a smile to people's faces" was the aim with the next Nothing flagship phone, so we can expect to see a bundle of artificial intelligence features included.As our Nothing Phone 3a Pro review will tell you, there's already plenty of AI on board the current Nothing handsets – but these features, including the Essential Space 'second memory', could still use some work. Improvements may arrive with the Nothing Phone 3.From the leaks we've come across so far, it sounds as though the Nothing Phone 3 is going to be a significant upgrade on its predecessor, and quite possibly one of the phones of the year. In a few months time, we should know for sure.

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“My experience with people who ever doubt themselves is that they will prepare, they will read everything, they will reach out to the experts, they'll do their job with humility because they won't believe they have all the answers,” former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on stage at the recent Zendesk Relate 2025 conference.After sharing stories from her time as Prime Minister, including her approach to empathetic leadership, the nation’s struggles with social media and her own battles with confidence when stepping into the global spotlight, Ardern’s discussion quickly turned to artificial intelligence.“You can either have excitement or enthusiasm for the opportunity that lays ahead,” she said as she likened the emergence of artificial intelligence to an endless list of technological advancements over the course of decades.

A human-centric AI landscape

One of the biggest concerns we’ve been writing about regarding AI since the public preview of ChatGPT, which opened up a new chapter in public artificial intelligence, is its impact on the workforce.The growing apprehension that AI will replace human workers, particularly in roles involving repetitive and administrative tasks, continues to play out today.According to Ardern, these fears don’t just stem from the technology itself, but from workers’ past experiences of changes that have maybe failed them – changes that didn’t fully consider human impact.In her discussion with the audience at Zendesk Relate 2025, it was clear that the former New Zealand Prime Minister advocates for proactively addressing such concerns through more clarity, guidance and transparency.Ardern’s approach involves shifting the dialogue from one of fear to one of opportunity – understanding that jobs will be redefined rather than wiped out completely.Although their roles will change, potentially considerably, the leader said that workers need to understand that the value they bring to organizations will remain constant.

Sure, artificial intelligence can significantly boost the productivity of workers who operate within certain fields, but even AI agents can’t operate entirely autonomously – they still require plenty of human input, be it on development, guidance or correction.Moreover, she highlighted how governments can protect workers on a macro level. Ardern cited New Zealand’s initiatives, including state-level income insurance and lifelong learning programs designed to ease the transition into this new era of employment.Citizens are more likely to feel comfortable about such major changes when there’s the guarantee and backing of their own government.This aligns with the need for a cultural evolution, where citizens and employees must adopt the values of continuous learning, innovation and increased agility. Companies and government agencies hold most of the responsibility for this, however workers must be just as proactive in their approach to adapting.To summarize, it appeared that Ardern is not concerned about AI’s impact in the long term. Though she acknowledges short-term displacement can be worrying for some, deeper support and commitment from all parties involved, including governments, companies and staff will ultimately secure our continued role on this planet.

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